AHRQ cancels grants intended to improve patient safety

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality officially terminated dozens of grants after stalling funding last year with little explanation. The terminated projects include studies on how to reduce hospital infections, improve patient safety, lower costs, integrate behavioral health into primary care and train the next generation of health services researchers. Awards affected include research grants, career development awards, institutional training grants and research infrastructure programs. “When that work stops, the people who ultimately lose are patients and the health systems trying to deliver better care,” said AcademyHealth President and CEO Aaron Carroll, MD, MS. The organization added that AHRQ has not been functioning “as Congress intended after mass firings and resignations under pressure left the agency with roughly 20% of its staff.” (MedPage Today article, 7/20/26)