Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a former professor at Stanford University, was appointed as director at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) during a period of institutional and political change in the United States. He is known for his unconventional opinions during the COVID-19 pandemic and allegations of censorship programs. Amid this situation, Bhattacharya now leads one of the world’s highly respected biomedical research organizations.
During a 27-minute speech at a town hall meeting, Dr. Bhattacharya acknowledged the difficulty of the current climate. As the subject was sensitive in nature, it was challenging to manage the situation. He states that the SARS-CoV-2 virus increased because of an enhancement in the functional research category, which the NIH funds. The disagreement was evident among several employees, and to express their dissatisfaction, they stood up and immediately departed from the hall to stage a silent protest.
While many scientific experts believe the virus originated from a zoonotic spillover, others continue to support the lab-leak theory. Dr. Bhattacharya’s remarks, which appeared to endorse the latter, were seen by some employees as politically charged, contributing to the walkout amid growing dissatisfaction with federal research policies.
Researchers have reported delays in studies due to staffing shortages and difficulties in acquiring necessary materials and supplies. From the day of the appointment, union representatives have made several unsuccessful attempts to contact the director on this topic. Postdoctoral researchers and union members also clarified that the strike was an attempt to meet with higher management. The arrangement of the town hall was considered suspect, as their answers to previous questions do not address the present issues that researchers face in day-to-day life.
In response to the walkout, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) dismissed the claims, suggesting they were politically motivated. The funding from the Wuhan Institute of Virology was included in the White House budget proposal for 2026 to support potential cuts of $ 18 billion in projects. This decision was criticized by NIH experts, who warned that it would compromise ideology and harm international research collaborations in the pandemic prevention program.
The town hall also addressed issues surrounding diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI). This topic has been controversial due to the Trump administration’s decision to halt funding for related projects and research. The termination of 1,200 NIH workers as part of the Reduction-in-Force (RIF) strategy was a major source of controversy.
The director addressed concerns about a shortage of laboratory gloves, highlighting operational challenges researchers face daily. The town hall’s walkout has drawn significant public attention, but Dr. Bhattacharya and the union members have yet to schedule a meeting. This incident exposed systemic problems that affect the NIH’s capacity to work effectively and highlighted growing tensions between scientific and ideological opinions.
Reference: NIH staff stage walkout during director’s town hall as tensions persist over research cuts, ideology. CNN. Published May 26, 2025. Accessed May 28, 2025. NIH staff stage walkout during director’s town hall as tensions persist over research cuts, ideology | CNN
