A federal appeals court has upheld a permanent injunction preventing the Trump administration from implementing a policy that would have cut billions of dollars in federal funding for medical and public health research, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced Sunday.
In a ruling issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, the court affirmed a lower court decision barring the administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Institutes of Health from reducing a key category of research funding used by universities and research institutions nationwide. The decision applies regardless of whether a state joined the underlying lawsuit.
The case centers on NIH funding that supports essential research-related expenses such as laboratory operations, faculty support, infrastructure, and utilities—costs that institutions say are critical to sustaining biomedical research programs.
“Universities and research institutions across the country rely on NIH funding to conduct groundbreaking research, and patients and families depend on those medical advancements to improve and even save their lives,” Massachusetts Attorney Andrea Joy Campbell said in a statement. “Today’s victory sends a clear message that the Trump Administration cannot sacrifice the health of our residents for its own political agenda.”
“The Trump Administration wanted to eviscerate funding for medical research that helps develop new cures and treatments for diseases like cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. Let that sink in: Life-saving research — proudly happening at UCs and CSUs across our state — was under attack,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “My fellow attorneys general and I stepped in to stop these illegal actions. The district court sided with us, and now, the First Circuit has, too. We’re starting the new year by building on our previous successes and securing yet another important victory against the Trump Administration.”
“This win protects the efforts of Illinois universities and research institutions to achieve breakthrough discoveries with lifesaving medical research,” Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “I commend the court for stopping the administration from attempting, yet again, to cut essential funding, and I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure the law is upheld.”
The legal challenge began on Feb. 10, 2025, when Campbell and a coalition of 21 other state attorneys general filed suit against the administration. Less than six hours later, a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order blocking the funding cuts. The court later converted that order into a permanent injunction, prompting the Trump administration to appeal.
The First Circuit’s decision leaves the injunction in place, effectively ending the administration’s effort to impose the funding restrictions.
NIH is the largest source of federal funding for medical research in the United States, supporting work that has led to major scientific breakthroughs, including cancer treatments and the first sequencing of DNA. NIH-backed researchers have also earned dozens of Nobel Prizes for their contributions to science.
“This funding is key to fueling the breakthroughs that have made Washington a powerhouse in medical research, work that saves lives,” Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown said. “That’s why we’ve fought so hard to protect these funds, which are used to help unlock the mysteries of some of our biggest health challenges, like Alzheimer’s disease, pediatric cancer, and diabetes.”
“Maryland researchers and institutions have waited far too long for answers on hundreds of grant applications unlawfully delayed by the Trump administration,” said Maryland Attorney General Brown. “This settlement finally provides the certainty they need to continue groundbreaking medical research and public health work that benefits Maryland families.”
Campbell co-led the lawsuit with the attorneys general of Illinois and Michigan. The coalition also included attorneys general from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
The ruling preserves a funding structure that has long underpinned the nation’s biomedical research enterprise and solidifies a legal barrier against future attempts to impose similar cuts, according to state officials.
