Commonwealth of Massachusetts et al. v. Kennedy et al.

Why this Matters:

The plaintiffs allege that the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) termination of large numbers of grants and refusal to consider pending grant applications based on grants’ connection with forbidden terms, such as “gender identity,” “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” violate the Administrative Procedure Act, the Spending Clause, and separation of powers. This appeal addresses whether the district court erred in issuing a partial final decision against the defendants.

Potential Impact:

Curtailing scientific research based on vague notions of “gender identity” and “diversity, equity, and inclusion” will delay scientific advancement and exacerbate health disparities.