US health research agency nears collapse after mass staff and funding cuts
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has lost 75 percent of its staff and seen over $250 million in grants canceled, prompting warnings from experts and lawmakers. Researchers across more than 30 states have halted work as a result.
The US federal agency responsible for improving the nation's healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, health policy experts warn. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), which has worked since the 1990s on patient safety, care quality, and new healthcare technologies, is facing what experts describe as an existential threat under the current administration.
In an opinion piece published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine, health policy experts Aaron Carroll and David Atkins wrote that whether the agency survives the second Trump administration is now an open question. They noted that Republican leaders once recognized healthcare disparities as fundamental quality issues, but the topic has since become politically divisive.
Deep cuts
Cuts driven by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have led to the firing or retirement of an estimated 75 percent of AHRQ's staff. In July, the agency abruptly sent grant cancellation letters to around 150 researchers. More than 100 research grants, collectively worth over $250 million, have since been canceled.
Although Congress appropriated $345 million for AHRQ for the 2026 fiscal year, most of that funding remains unspent, with only $15 million allocated to grants so far. As a result, scientists in over 30 states have paused research projects, laid off staff, closed programs, and abandoned new lines of inquiry.
Concerns for the future
Beyond the immediate loss of data and research findings, Carroll and Atkins expressed concern about the broader damage to the scientific community, warning that the cuts effectively halt the development of the next generation of health services researchers. While they say the damage can be reversed, doing so will be difficult, and they called on Congress to take action.
