Harvard School of Public Health Seeks Corporate Funding Amid Ongoing Federal Grant Cuts
Harvard's School of Public Health is facing funding uncertainty after federal grants were cut off by nearly $2.7 billion last year.
The school has privately weighed asking UnitedHealthcare, Tenet, and CVS Aetna to fund its research, with CVS being a particularly promising prospect due to the presence of Troyen A. Brennan, an adjunct faculty member who joined HSPH in 2022 after 14 years as chief medical officer at CVS Health.
The school's funding picture shifted sharply last year after the Trump administration cut off federal grants, prompting a significant budget crisis and layoffs across departments.
However, some experts caution that partnerships with corporate sponsors may compromise academic integrity, while others argue that it is necessary to continue conducting research given the federal changes.