A recent article in The Guardian told the story of a patient living with a little-known but life-altering medical condition—one that most people don’t understand, that many doctors fail to diagnose, and that science has too often ignored. As we read it, one truth became heartbreakingly clear: they could have been writing about Temporomandibular Disorders (TMDs). We saw ourselves in every line. The pain that disrupts daily life. The frustration of being dismissed or misdiagnosed. The financial strain of out-of-pocket treatments that insurance won’t cover. The longing for research, for answers, for hope. And the deep fear that efforts to dismantle science-based public health institutions—like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—could erase the few gains we’ve fought so hard to achieve. This is not just their story. It is ours, too. As patients with TMDs, families, and advocates, we know the cost of medical and dental invisibility. That’s why we’re sharing this article with you—not to focus on one condition, but to illuminate the broader crisis that unites so many of us living with poorly understood disorders. We must raise our voices to protect the science, research funding, and regulatory oversight that could finally bring relief to those who have waited far too long. We urge you to read this article. The first page alone should alarm you to the dire prospects for biomedical science in our country and renew your resolve: to advocate, to educate, and raise your voice to be heard. “Since Robert F Kennedy Jr assumed control of the US health department in February, with a mandate to “[lower] chronic disease rates and [end] childhood chronic disease”, he has moved quickly to remake the US’s federal health infrastructure. But the Trump administration’s actions on medical research are already threatening that goal – and could end medical progress in this country for good. Kennedy’s office oversees the National Institutes of Health, the control center of disease research in the United States. Kennedy’s agency has killed almost 800 active projects, according to Nature, affecting medical research into HIV/Aids, diabetes, women’s health, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and more. The administration wants to cut the NIH’s budget up to 40% while consolidating its 27 agencies – separated by disease area – into just eight. Elon Musk’s Doge has been reviewing previously awarded grant funding, reportedly requiring researchers to explain how they are using their grants to advance the Trump administration’s political goals. (Audio obtained by the Washington Post suggests this “Defend the Spend” initiative may be a smokescreen, with one NIH official admitting: “All funding is on hold.”) Separately, Donald Trump has aggressively targeted universities such as Harvard and Columbia over alleged antisemitism and diversity initiatives, using federal contracts that fund research as leverage. And just recently, the NIH passed a new rule banning any university from receiving future federal grants if the universities use DEI programs or boycott Israeli firms.” The Guardian Click here to read more |
