Overview

• Drs. Jeanne Marrazzo and Kathleen Neuzil filed complaints this week alleging they were ousted after opposing politically driven decisions on vaccines and research funding.
• Both leaders were placed on administrative leave in April and told to expect Indian Health Service reassignments in remote locations; Neuzil resigned last week and Marrazzo remains on leave.
• The complaints describe meetings where principal deputy director Matthew Memoli discounted the role of vaccines, including remarks to NIH leadership and during a White House briefing.
• They challenge a $500 million universal vaccine award in May that they say bypassed NIH peer review and went to a project Memoli had worked on and helped receive.
• The filings cite politically motivated grant cancellations, including ending a global health equity scholars program over its title, while HHS says Memoli backs evidence-based science and evaluates vaccines individually; the physicians seek reinstatement and damages.