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The most comprehensive international study on COVID-19 vaccine safety to date was abruptly halted 13 months before its scheduled end, due to sweeping research and health budget cuts by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
According to The Guardian, the project was led by the Global Vaccine Data Network, a research initiative founded in 2019 by Professor Helen Petousis-Harris of the University of Auckland and Professor Steven Black of the U.S., with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The network has previously produced some of the world's most extensive studies on vaccine safety and effectiveness, drawing on data from more than 300 million people worldwide.
Petousis-Harris said the funding was terminated “without warning, without planning” following a review by the Trump-created Department of Government Efficiency. The decision brought the project to an immediate standstill.
The research required large-scale collaboration and diverse population data to evaluate vaccine effectiveness, analyze risks and benefits and address vaccine hesitancy.
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“Such a loss of funding not only affects the research outcomes but also undermines the credibility of scientific institutions and researchers,” said Petousis-Harris. “The impact of the Trump administration to withdraw such vast amounts of funding globally is almost hard to articulate.”
The cuts come amid a broader wave of reductions across U.S. scientific services. In early April, approximately 10,000 employees were laid off from the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in what’s being described as one of the largest mass layoffs in U.S. history.
The study’s organizers are now seeking around $2 million in alternative funding to complete the research.
Dr. Greg Murison, CEO of UniServices — the University of Auckland’s commercial arm — said the CDC notified them that funding would “cease with immediate effect.” The university is currently working to secure and preserve the data collected since 2019.
New Zealand’s Health Ministry confirmed it is aware of the funding halt. As of now, no request for alternative funding has been submitted.