Scientific funding cuts imposed by the Trump administration may lead to the closure of a study examining Alzheimer's disease risk among 600 aging individuals. This could result in participants not receiving the results of their cognitive tests, despite researchers having collected the data.
The Trump administration cancelled a federal research grant for the study, which focused on two low-income, majority Black neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in August. Researchers were given 90 days to cease operations, which is over five months earlier than initially planned. This timeframe leaves them without the necessary time or funds to assess the collected data.
The potential closure of the study could unnecessarily delay the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or dementia syndromes within the participant group, conditions for which early diagnosis is crucial for treatment effectiveness.
The University of Pittsburgh and the researchers are appealing the grant cancellation. The appeal argues that delivering results to participants is part of an ethical and orderly closeout process.