The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has announced the cancellation of approximately $10.9 million in grants by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The funding cuts include research projects in China and several initiatives related to gender identity and sexual orientation. This announcement was made on February 28 via a post on X, a social media platform.
According to the post, the canceled grants comprise $1.7 million for the "China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study" at Peking University in Beijing, and $135,000 for a research grant to China Medical University in Shenyang. Additionally, several U.S.-based studies focused on gender identity were affected.
Among the U.S. projects cut were $142,000 allocated for a telehealth initiative aimed at improving access to gender-affirming care, $1.3 million for a program supporting gender-diverse young adults, and $120,000 for developing a personalized 3-D avatar tool centered on gender identities.
Screenshot of Post on X
| https://x.com/DOGE
The NIH also canceled $400,000 designated for studying the relationship between minority stress and alcohol consumption among adults uncertain about their sexual orientation. Further cuts included $160,000 for research on "racialized sexual discrimination" among "young sexual minority men of color," and $241,000 for an intervention designed to promote healthy relationships among transgender and gender-expansive youth.
DOGE is described as a federal agency dedicated to optimizing government spending by reducing waste and ensuring accountability in contract management. By reviewing expenditures and canceling non-essential contracts, DOGE aims to improve fiscal responsibility and enhance the effectiveness of public resource allocation.
