A Senate HELP hearing and an accompanying report accused the current administration of disrupting NIH research funding, citing terminations and freezes that the report says have imperiled cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s grants and defunded hundreds of clinical trials. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya testified and rebuffed accusations, asserting the U.S. remains a top environment for biomedical research while contesting specific cut claims. The hearings highlighted realignment risks for U.S. biomedical research infrastructure, with researchers and institutions reporting paused programs, halted trainee support and concerns about talent flight. The episode has prompted stakeholders to flag contingency planning and to press Congress for budget clarity and protections for ongoing investigator‑initiated research.