The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has quietly discontinued a federally funded research project that explored the potential link between hormone therapy and drug overdose risk in rats. The study, which received over $1 million in taxpayer dollars, focused on whether rats undergoing hormone treatment were more likely to overdose on a popular party drug.
The research had faced scrutiny from some who questioned its relevance and the allocation of funds. Details about the specific hormone therapies used and the party drug involved were not immediately available. The NIH has not issued a formal statement explaining the decision to halt funding for the project. The termination of funding raises questions about the future of similar research initiatives and the criteria used for evaluating the merit of scientific studies involving animals.
NIH Ends Funding for Rat Hormone Therapy and Drug Study
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has stopped funding a study that examined the effects of hormone therapy on drug overdose risk in rats. The research, which received over $1 million in federal funding, investigated if rats undergoing hormone treatment were more susceptible to overdosing on a common party drug. Critics had questioned the study's purpose and cost. The NIH has not released a specific reason for ending the funding.