Alexandria, VA – The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) strongly opposes the Trump administration’s Executive Order “Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking,” which would allow political appointees to review and influence federal grant funding decisions. This directive threatens the integrity of the scientific funding process by inserting political considerations into a system that must remain objective, expert-driven, and transparent.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) peer review system is widely regarded as the gold standard for evaluating scientific merit and funding decisions. It relies on rigorous evaluation by subject-matter experts to ensure that taxpayer dollars support the most innovative, scientifically sound, and promising research. In the field of dental, oral, and craniofacial health, this process has led to breakthroughs in areas such as oral cancer, craniofacial birth defects, pain management, and the link between oral and systemic health.
The current system is highly competitive and is designed to uphold scientific excellence and public accountability while remaining free from political influence. Undermining this framework risks compromising the integrity and quality of U.S.-funded biomedical research.
Further, the Executive Order will slow scientific progress as federal agencies are forced to submit prior authorization requests and written justification for each approved grant before funds can be released. These disruptions come at a time when the biomedical research ecosystem is already under incredible strain.
“This action sends a chilling message to the next generation of researchers," said AADOCR President Effie Ioannidou. "By injecting politics into what should be a merit-based process, we risk driving away talented scientists.”
“I immigrated to the United States nearly 30 years ago, in large part, because of its independent, science-driven research system. My story is not unique. NIH’s peer-review system has attracted countless scientists who have contributed to and advanced America’s research, innovation and public health. This Executive Order threatens that knowledge base and will set back the U.S. science enterprise."
AADOCR urges the Administration to rescind this harmful directive and reaffirm its commitment to protecting the independence of science and the efficiency of the peer review system that drives U.S. biomedical innovation.
