ACLU backed suit accuses NIH of 235 keyword funding restrictions
A new class-action lawsuit claims the National Institutes of Health (NIH) blocked research funding based on a list of 235 keywords (including "gender"), effectively restricting what scientists could study.
The suit, backed by the ACLU and filed September 16, 2026, argues this move violated free speech rights and stifled important scientific work.
Lawsuit: keyword rules halted studies
According to the lawsuit, these keyword rules caused serious setbacks: Ann Cohen from the University of Pittsburgh said her Alzheimer's research had to abruptly cancel appointments for participants, preventing them from receiving promised research results, and slowing or stopping critical data analysis, while Stanford's Arghavan Salles struggled to continue gender-equity projects without triggering bans.
The ACLU called out the government for using public money to silence certain scientific views.
Some grants have been restored, but many researchers are still waiting, and this case could shape how science gets funded in the future.