President Trump's proposed budget may not make it through Congress, but his effort to slash funding for the National Institutes of Health is nonetheless having an impact on biotechnology start-ups and research.
Just ask Jonathan Hirsch.
Hirsch, the founder and president of medical software start-up
That all changed last week.
"The program is put on hold," said Hirsch, who added that he hasn't received word on whether it will eventually go forward. He's hopeful the funds will be available when the NIH gains clarity around its budget.
In March, Trump put forward his budget proposal that included a $5.8 billion cut in the government's 2018 allocation to the NIH, an 18 percent reduction from 2017. Additionally, the White House has proposed a $1.2 billion cut in research spending for the remainder of this year. Congress still has to weigh in; the current budget is set to expire at the end of April.