STAT | M Wilson/Newsmakers
The scientific community is especially worried about language in the rule stating that staff involved with grantmaking can be classified as “Schedule F” workers, which could remove certain civil service protections for many National Institutes of Health program officers and grantmaking officials and make it easier for the administration to dismiss them. If such officials could be fired for “subverting Presidential directives,” as the rule states, it could fundamentally change the way that scientists think about their work. Research that could be seen as disfavored by one political party may not get done because of the fear it could be terminated with a change in administration.