Just days before launching critical clinical trials for a promising HIV vaccine, researchers in South Africa received a devastating message: “Stop all work.” The abrupt halt came after the United States government, under the Trump administration, withdrew all funding for the project—stripping away $46 million in support and halting a major step forward in the fight against one of the world’s deadliest diseases.
The BRILLIANT project, led by South African scientists, was poised to leverage the country’s unique genetic diversity and proven expertise in HIV research. Instead, laboratories have fallen silent, vital equipment purchases have been canceled, and researchers are being laid off. South Africa, the country with the highest number of people living with HIV, has been hit especially hard.
The decision is part of a broader rollback of U.S. foreign aid, with the Trump administration prioritizing domestic issues and cutting hundreds of millions in global health support. South Africa alone has lost roughly $400 million annually through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Dr. Glenda Gray, head of the BRILLIANT program, warns that the consequences go far beyond South Africa. “Without our involvement, the world is poorer,” she said. South Africa has long been a global leader in vaccine research, conducting high-quality, efficient trials at lower costs than many other countries. The country was instrumental in testing COVID-19 vaccines and identifying variants through genomic surveillance.
Now, labs at institutions like the University of the Witwatersrand have come to a standstill. Technician Nozipho Mlotshwa, whose grant-funded position supports her education and family, faces unemployment in a country where nearly half of young people are jobless. “It’s very sad and devastating,” she said. “We’ll also miss out on collaborating with scientists across Africa.”
Professor Abdullah Ely, who leads a vaccine development team, said the trials had shown promise in triggering immune responses. “But now,” he said, “the momentum has all kind of had to come to a halt.”
The South African government is scrambling to respond, estimating it may lose over $107 million in U.S. research funding over the next five years—jeopardizing not only HIV research, but also critical work on tuberculosis. More than 100 researchers tied to programs like BRILLIANT have already been laid off, and thousands of health workers and HIV counselors across the country have lost their jobs.
Efforts are underway to secure local funding. Universities South Africa has requested over $110 million from the national treasury to keep research projects afloat. But replacing U.S. funding is proving difficult.
The situation is raising alarms globally. During a visit in June, UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima acknowledged the challenges ahead. While countries like Nigeria, Zambia, Burundi, and Ivory Coast are boosting their own funding, she said it won’t match the scale or impact of American aid.
“The lives at risk are real,” Byanyima said. “And the gap left behind is far too large to fill quickly.”
As HIV infection rates threaten to rise and health systems lose vital data collection and patient support, South Africa—and the world—may be forced to reckon with the long-term consequences of these funding cuts.
