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www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know Opinion ered by university labs. This shift has big implications for policy. It means that cuts to federal research fund- ing don’t “trim fat” at universities - they sap the fuel from America’s innovation engine. Each dollar taken away isn’t hurting a bu- reaucrat; it’s slowing down a potential cure for Parkinson’s disease, a next-generation solar cell, or the technology that could give us an edge against adversaries. Unfortunately, federal support for re- search and development has been faltering for decades. During the 1960s, Washington spent nearly 2 percent of U.S. GDP on research; today, it spends roughly one- third of that share. The consequence is that essential long-term research often faces uncertain funding. And now, troublingly, the Trump admin- istration is politicizing research fund- ing. Such a shortsighted approach risks unraveling a partnership that has delivered lifesaving and world-changing results. Un- dermining our university-based research system risks ceding leadership in innova- tion at the very moment we need it most. In the end, supporting university re- search isn’t about doing academia a favor; it’s about securing the nation’s future. We should be asking how to strengthen the government-university partnership, not weaken it. That means crafting smarter federal policies that renew our commitment to science. Congress and theWhite House should ensure consistent, robust funding for science and resist the temptation to use research dollars as a political weapon. They should expand, not cancel, programs that encourage young talent to enter sci- entific fields. And they should make clear that grants to university scientists are not pork-barrel spending, but an investment in the public good - one that pays dividends in medical breakthroughs, job-creating technologies, military advantages and economic activity. That’s a return on investment we can’t afford to pass up. Carole LaBonne is the Erastus Otis Haven professor of molecular biosci- ences at North- western University and president of the Society for Develop- mental Biology. -Special to TheWashington Post - Continued From Page 4 Top CDC Covid Vaccine Adviser, Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos, Quits After RFK Jr. Ended Recommendations A top coronavirus vaccine adviser at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has resigned, citing concerns that she could no longer help vulnerable people after federal health officials rescinded long-standing recommendations to immunize children and pregnant women. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos said in an email to col- leagues Tuesday that she made a “personal decision” to quit the CDC after 12 years. “My career in public health and vaccinology started with a deep-seated desire to help the most vulnerable members of our population, and that is not something I am able to continue doing in this role,” she wrote, ac- cording to a copy obtained by TheWashington Post. She said she made her decision Friday. Her email did not further detail her reasons for leaving. It came days after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other health agency leaders said they would stop recommending coronavirus shots for healthy children and pregnant women. Panagiotakopoulos declined to comment. Reuters first reported her resignation. TheWhite House and HHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Panagiotakopoulos co-led a coronavirus vaccine work group of CDC staff and outside experts who assisted the agency’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, known as ACIP, in crafting guidance for the shots. She organized regular meetings of the group, mak- ing sure enough data was available and different points of views were represented, according to people familiar with her role who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about agency operations. The group reviews vaccine safety and effectiveness data and the epidemiology of the coronavi- rus to assess the risks and benefits of the shots. William Schaffner, an infectious-diseases expert at Vanderbilt University and member of the work group, said many ACIP members had sent Panagiotakopoulos “expressions of understanding, empathy and support.” The committee is scheduled to meet later this month and vote on a coronavirus vaccine recommendation. In an April meeting, panel members signaled that they were already inclined to shift from a broad recommendation that everyone 6 months and older get an annual corona- virus vaccine to one advising the shots for those at high- est risk. Pregnant women are considered at elevated risk if they contract covid. But Kennedy upended the long-established process for providing immunization advice through expert review and CDC guidance last week when he announced on X that health officials would no longer recommend the coronavirus vaccine for healthy pregnant women and healthy children. Kennedy blindsided CDC officials, who found out about the decision through the X post. The changes were not immediately reflected on the agency’s web- site, which continued to recommend that everyone 6 months and older receive an annual coronavirus vac- cination. Late Thursday, the CDC contradicted Kennedy in up- dated guidance that continued to recommend the shots for healthy children if their doctors approve. But the revisions also said the vaccines are no longer advised during pregnancy. Federal health officials have said pregnant women can consult their doctors if they want coronavirus vac- cines. But eliminating vaccine recommendations by the CDC can result in insurers no longer covering the costs and fewer providers stocking them, according to vaccine experts. Professional societies that many patients and physi- cians turn to for independent guidance – the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Phy- sicians and Infectious Diseases Society of America – have issued statements criticizing the process and the content of Kennedy’s new recommendations. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration said it would narrow its approval for updated coronavirus vaccines to those considered at elevated risk for severe disease and would require additional trials to approve the shots for others. It marked a significant shift in the agency’s approach to green-lighting the shots. - TheWashington Post By Lena H. Sun PHOTO:REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Vials with a sticker reading, “COVID-19 / Coronavirus vaccine / Injection only” and a medical syringe are seen in front of a displayed Pfizer logo in this illustration taken October 31, 2020. U.S. Affairs News India Times (June 7, 2025 - June 13, 2025) June 13, 2025 5 US-India Nearing Trade Deal As Talks Progress, Commerce Secretary Says T rade negotiations between the United States and India are mak- ing progress and a deal could be finalized soon, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Mon- day, as both sides push to conclude talks ahead of a July deadline. “You should expect a deal between United States and India (in the ) not-too- distant future because I think we have found a place that really works for both countries,” Lutnick said at the annual summit of the US-India Strategic Part- nership Forum inWashington. Lutnick later posted a short video of his remarks on social media platform X, saying “We have a great relationship between the countries. I’m optimistic for a trade deal soon that will benefit both nations.” Reuters reported earlier that the Trump administration had asked trade partners to submit their best offers by Wednesday, as officials work towards finalizing several deals ahead of a self- imposed July 9 deadline. India’s trade ministry declined to comment on the timeline. However, Rajesh Agrawal, India’s chief negotiator for talks with the U.S., said last week that trade talks between the two countries were progressing well, and that a “good outcome” was expected soon. A U.S. trade delegation is scheduled to visit New Delhi on June 5-6 for further discussions. An Indian team had visitedWashing- ton in April, and Trade Minister Piyush Goyal also visited last month to push trade talks. Lutnick saidWashington was seeking lower tariffs particularly on agricultural products, greater market access for U.S. firms, and increased purchases of de- fense equipment, with an aim of reduc- ing its trade deficit with India. In return, it was prepared to expand access for Indian exports. “India is a very protectionist coun- try,” he said, noting tariffs of up to 100% on some products. “We would like our businesses to have reasonable market access.” He said strong ties between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Nar- endra Modi were helping ease negotia- tions. - Reuters By Manoj Kumar Universities And The Government: Which Needs The Other More? PHOTO:northwestern.edu