Government documents viewed by KFF Health News show a drop in patients receiving care this year at the National Institutes of Health\u2019s renowned research hospital, a 200-bed facility at NIH headquarters in Maryland.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We previously reported<\/a> a decrease in the number of patients\u00a0being treated at the NIH Clinical Center from February through April. Since then, we\u2019ve obtained newer data showing the drop has continued.<\/p>\n As of mid-August, the average daily number of patients treated at the hospital was around 60. There has been a steady drop since February, coinciding with the Trump administration\u2019s mass firings of government employees, its broad immigration crackdown, and the gutting of scientific research.<\/p>\n By contrast, last October, about 80 patients a day, on average, were at the hospital, the documents show.<\/p>\n Current and former government workers cite multiple reasons for the decline. An exodus of clinicians, scientists, and other staffers has limited the number of people who can be treated. Researchers are leaving, which means they\u2019re not recruiting patients to come to the NIH for trials.\u00a0<\/p>\n And, the workers say, it\u2019s likely that fewer patients who lack legal status in the U.S. are seeking care at the NIH hospital. That\u2019s because of the Trump administration\u2019s immigration policies and the federal government\u2019s tighter rules for visitors from abroad.<\/p>\n In a statement, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said the decline in the number of patients \u201chas been ongoing for years\u201d and the clinical center \u201cremains fully operational and continues to provide world-class clinical research and patient care.\u201d<\/p>\n Are you a cancer patient whose care at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Maryland, or another hospital, has been affected by the Trump administration\u2019s cuts? Are you a family member or caregiver of a cancer patient who has received care at the NIH? We\u2019d like to hear about your experience. Tell us here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n KFF Health News<\/a> is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF\u2014an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF<\/a>.<\/p>\nUSE OUR CONTENT<\/h3>\n