**Trump Administration Halts Key $258 Million H.I.V. Vaccine Program**

In a significant move, the Trump administration has put an end to a crucial $258 million program dedicated to the search for an H.I.V. vaccine. This decision marks the latest in a series of reductions in funding for H.I.V. research and prevention initiatives.

The unexpected termination was communicated on Friday by officials from the H.I.V. division of the National Institutes of Health (N.I.H.) to the leaders of the program based at Duke University and the Scripps Research Institute. A senior official at N.I.H., who preferred to remain anonymous, stated, "The consortia for H.I.V./AIDS vaccine development and immunology was reviewed by N.I.H. leadership, which does not support it moving forward."

The N.I.H. plans to redirect its focus toward applying existing approaches to combat H.I.V./AIDS, according to the same official. This shift in strategy suggests that new vaccine development will no longer be prioritized, impacting ongoing research efforts that many had hoped would yield breakthroughs.

Furthermore, the N.I.H. has also paused funding for a clinical trial involving an H.I.V. vaccine developed by Moderna. This pause adds to the concerns within the scientific community about the future of H.I.V. research and vaccine development.

The discontinuation of this program signals not just a change in priorities, but also raises questions about the long-term impact on the fight against H.I.V., especially as many preventative programs are seeing reduced funding.