American Public Health Association v. NIH
Case Overview
The government appealed Judge Young's order granting summary judgement for plaintiffs which found that the grant terminations from the NIH and HHS that were conducted under various new directives were arbitrary and capricious in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act.
Legal Issues
BrynoDC Coverage 1 video
The Application
Judge Young granted summary judgment for plaintiffs, finding that the grant terminations violated the APA by failing to provide reasoned explanation and proper procedure. The government appealed this decision, arguing the First Circuit should reverse the lower court's determination.
The Conclusion
The First Circuit appeal remains pending. On August 21, 2025, the Supreme Court granted in part and denied in part the government's request for an emergency stay in No. 25A103, allowing NIH to resume terminating roughly $783 million in the challenged research grants while the appeal proceeds. The Court left in place the portion of Judge Young's judgment vacating NIH's internal guidance documents. The underlying question, whether the grant terminations violated the Administrative Procedure Act, was argued before the First Circuit on January 6, 2026, and the panel has not yet ruled.
Flag an issue
This tracker is maintained by BrynoDC and is free because readers fund it. Support