Funding for military health study of LGBTQ+ veterans withdrawnThe study was deemed 'not in line' with one of President Trump's executive orders
Link to Full ArticleSTAT - Usha Lee McFarling, National Science Correspondent
Feb. 13, 2025
The Defense Department on Thursday abruptly reversed course on funding a study of LGBTQ+ veterans that had been recommended late last year, saying it "was not in line" with one of President Trump's executive orders.
The move comes as health researchers anxiously await word on future and existing grants amid orders given to several federal agencies to comb research grants for taboo words relating to diversity and sexual identity.
The $1.4 million, four-year grant from the Defense Health Agency was to be awarded to ... study LGBTQ+ veterans and their risk for dementia, and also the challenges they and their caretakers face in accessing care and resources. It's an area that has been largely understudied, he told STAT, despite the fact that studies show both veterans and LGBTQ+ people have higher risks for dementia.
Flatt said he was most upset because of the years of planning that went into the grant and because he and other investigators had worked so hard with LGBTQ+ coordinators at VA hospitals and community members to plan their study. "This was going to be really unique and really be welcoming to the veteran community," he said. -------------------------
"... study LGBTQ+ veterans and their risk for dementia, and also the challenges they and their caretakers face in accessing care and resources."
We wanted to study the challenges in accessing resources, but due to funding cuts, we lost access to resources to study the challenges in accessing resources.
