Health Research Groups Sue HHS For Halting Grantmaking at Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, nonprofit organizations Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) and North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) sued Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for halting all grantmaking at the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ). Public Citizen Litigation Group represents SGIM and NAPCRG in the lawsuit.
AHRQ was established by Congress as a hub within HHS to support health services research — including research into how our health system works, how to support patients and clinicians in choosing the best care, and how to improve health by improving healthcare delivery. AHRQ carries out much of its work through grants to researchers, awarding funds to the strongest and most innovative proposals for addressing the country’s top healthcare priorities. SGIM and NAPCRG filed this suit because their members share a strong commitment to performing the types of research needed to improve the healthcare that people receive.
Despite the critical — and statutorily required — support for health services research that AHRQ provides through its grantmaking program, HHS has stopped all grantmaking at AHRQ. It has destroyed the agency’s capacity to process grant applications, withheld decisions on pending grant applications, and refused to spend appropriated funds — resulting in an unlawful impoundment of millions of dollars that Congress instructed AHRQ to spend on grantmaking and other research functions.
“The illegal action to stop all grantmaking at AHRQ will harm patients, clinicians, and advocacy organizations that rely on AHRQ’s grants to do vital work,” said Stephanie Garlock, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group and lead counsel for the plaintiffs. “The Trump administration must follow the law by restoring the grantmaking program and the flow of appropriated funds to grantees.”
“To have a healthcare system in which all people can achieve optimal health, we need HHS and AHRQ to resume support for research focused on improving the delivery of healthcare,” said Dr. Eric Bass, SGIM’s Chief Executive Officer. “Unfortunately, HHS and AHRQ abandoned support for the healthcare research that Congress expected to be performed with the funds appropriated for the agency — contrary to the administration’s commitment to Making America Healthy Again.”
“Primary care research is the backbone of healthy communities and better patient care, yet it has long been underfunded and overlooked,” said Dr. Alan Katz, NAPCRG’s incoming President. “NAPCRG researchers produce the evidence that transforms primary care — improving outcomes, guiding cost-effective solutions, and shaping real-world practice. We’re proud to join this suit to ensure that our members and other researchers can keep working to provide patients, providers, and communities with research-driven care, just as Congress intended.”
The complaint can be found here.