NIH and NASA impose new restrictions on international research collaborations, causing confusion among scientists

Summary

U.S. government research funders, including the NIH and NASA, have imposed unprecedented restrictions on U.S. scientists collaborating and publishing with foreign co-authors. The policies are being communicated piecemeal and privately to grantees, causing confusion and concern among researchers. The restrictions appear to stem from national security concerns about technology transfer and intellectual property, but the lack of clear, consistent guidelines is creating uncertainty in the scientific community about how to proceed with international collaborations.