US aid cuts halt HIV vaccine research in South Africa, with global impact

South Africa has played a historic, global role in scientific research, from COVID-19 vaccines to HIV. Now that's under threat after the Trump administration cut hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for the country as part of the dismantling of foreign aid. One group of researchers received a stop-work order a week before starting trials of an HIV vaccine. The region's genetic diversity and deep expertise have produced health advances for people everywhere. Now one researcher says that “the world, in my opinion, is much poorer.” South Africa's government says it will be very hard to replace the U.S. money.