The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is on the brink, experts warn, after the Trump administration cut its staff by 75%, canceled grants, and refused to spend appropriated money. Since the 1990s, AHRQ has advanced patient safety, quality, and technology, but Republican leaders now treat disparities as partisan, eroding the agency’s mission.\n\nIn July, AHRQ sent cancellation letters to roughly 150 researchers, wiping out more than $250 million in grants. Although Congress allocated $345 million for FY 2026, only $15 million has reached grants.

Scientists in over 30 states have halted projects, laid off staff, and shut programs, stalling the next generation of health services research.\n\nAaron Carroll and David Atkins describe the loss as “profound concern,” noting that the data, findings, and talent disappearing are irreplaceable. Their opinion in the Annals of Internal Medicine warns that reversing the damage is possible but difficult, urging Congress to act.\n\nThe cuts threaten not only research output but also patient outcomes, underscoring the need for renewed federal support to preserve evidence‑based improvements across the U.S. healthcare system.\n\nStakeholders across academia, industry, and patient advocacy groups are calling for testify of federal funding allocations to safeguard ongoing projects and prevent a permanent loss of expertise.