Analysis
Dr. Hotez’s claim conflates **nominal funding** (which largely held steady or grew) with **real-term erosion** due to inflation. For example, the NIH’s budget rose from ~$32B in 2010 to ~$47B in 2023 (nominal), but adjusted for inflation, this reflects a **~13% decline in purchasing power** (AAAS). The CDC’s budget saw similar trends, with flatlining or modest increases (e.g., ~$8.5B in 2023 vs. $6.3B in 2010, nominal) but **real-term losses** when accounting for inflation and expanded mandates (e.g., opioid crisis, COVID-19). Political interference—such as restricted CDC authority during the Trump administration (e.g., 2020 moratorium on guidance without White House approval)—did *undermine* operational independence, but ‘systematic defunding’ overstates the fiscal reality.
Background
The NIH and CDC budgets are set annually through congressional appropriations, often subject to partisan debates over priorities (e.g., chronic disease vs. emergency preparedness). Post-2016, both agencies faced **administrative constraints** (e.g., hiring freezes, delayed appointments) and **public distrust** amplified by pandemic politicization. However, emergency supplemental funding (e.g., $10B for CDC in 2021–22) temporarily offset structural gaps, complicating claims of *systematic* defunding.
Verdict summary
While NIH and CDC budgets faced *relative* stagnation or cuts when adjusted for inflation, they were not *systematically defunded*—their nominal budgets generally increased or remained stable, though purchasing power declined and political interference did occur.