Internal communication obtained by Nature shows the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has directed staff to remove references to 'biodefense' and 'pandemic preparedness' from its public materials as the institute refocuses to basic immunology and diseases currently impacting U.S. populations. NIH leadership, including NIAID officials, framed the change as a strategic reprioritization. Public-health researchers and former NIAID collaborators warned the shift could weaken U.S. surveillance and countermeasure development for emerging pathogens. Experts quoted in Nature argued that deprioritizing preparedness functions risks leaving the country less able to detect and respond to novel threats, particularly given ongoing zoonotic spillover risks.