The article “Veterans Affairs Research Under Threat” was published in JAMA Internal Medicine on March 28, 2025.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2832227
The article “Veterans Affairs Research Under Threat” was written by:
- Stephan D. Fihn, MD, MPH
- David Atkins, MD, MPH
- Timothy O’Leary, MD, PhD
- Kenneth W. Kizer, MD, MPH, DCM
All authors are former employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The article “Veterans Affairs Research Under Threat” highlights the risk of severe funding cuts and personnel decisions impacting the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) intramural research program. While national attention has focused on cuts to the NIH and NSF, the VA’s research—critical to veterans’ health—faces potential devastation. The VA research program, which has historically driven major medical advancements and trained top physicians, supports 7,000 active projects, including studies on PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and suicide prevention.
The program’s funding accounts for just 0.3% of the VA’s budget but has led to innovations like the cardiac pacemaker and nicotine patch. Arbitrary personnel freezes and dismissals are disrupting ongoing clinical trials, including those for cancer treatments and drug overdose prevention. The loss of experienced VA researchers threatens the quality of veteran care and scientific progress.
The article calls for urgent action from the medical and scientific community to protect VA research and prevent long-term damage to veterans’ healthcare and medical innovation.