Trump Administration Tightens Oversight of High-Risk Biomedical Research

July 29, 2026
By Mintesinot Nigussie

The Trump administration has introduced new restrictions on federally funded high-risk biomedical research, including a ban on government support for dangerous gain-of-function studies, as the United States moves to strengthen controls over research with potential public health and national security risks. The United States Government Policy for Stopping High-Risk Life Sciences Research, released by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), establishes a new framework that prohibits federal funding for dangerous gain-of-function (DGOF) research and introduces stricter review requirements for other high-risk life sciences projects.

The policy fulfils President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at improving the safety and security of biological research. It applies to research conducted both in the United States and abroad using federal funding. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., US health and human services secretary, said the government should not finance research that could expose Americans to biological risks.

“The federal government has a duty to protect the American people—not fund research that could put them at risk,” Kennedy said. “Today, we are ending federal support for dangerous gain-of-function research and replacing weak oversight with clear, enforceable safeguards.” Under the new rules, certain high-risk research projects will require independent review before receiving federal support. The policy also restricts funding for research conducted in countries or institutions that lack adequate biosafety, biosecurity and oversight standards.

The framework replaces previous federal oversight systems with a risk-based approach that assesses research according to its potential consequences rather than focusing only on specific pathogens. It requires researchers, institutions and government agencies to identify, evaluate and manage risks before taxpayer funds are awarded. The administration said the policy would continue supporting biomedical research, including the development of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and other medical countermeasures, while ensuring projects with greater risks face stronger safeguards.

Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, said the policy aims to balance scientific advancement with responsibility. “The overwhelming majority of biomedical research provides enormous benefits to society, and this framework helps ensure that research with the potential to create extraordinary biological risks receives the highest level of scrutiny,” Bhattacharya said. The United States is also calling on international partners to strengthen biosafety and biosecurity standards and adopt measures aimed at preventing dangerous gain-of-function research. Gain-of-function research involves modifying biological organisms to study changes in their characteristics, including traits such as transmissibility or disease-causing ability. Supporters say such research can help prepare for emerging diseases, while critics have raised concerns over potential misuse and accidental release of modified pathogens.

Source: FSX Business News