We invited supporters to join an urgent webinar examining the likely consequences of proposed federal spending funding cuts—specifically how they threaten drug development, access to lifesaving C. diff treatments, and the integrity of our public health system.

From the National Institutes of Health to the CDC, the proposed budget would slash public health funding that supports critical research, treatment development, infection surveillance, and patient access. 

Watch the recording below, or read on for a summary of the webinar and our call to action.

Medical research and disease reporting for C. diff relies heavily on public funding. In the past 5 years alone, the public investment in C. diff prevention and treatment exceeded $100 million.

As with many rare or underappreciated diseases, C. diff treatments often require federal funding to reach approval since they’re less likely to be ‘blockbuster’ drugs like Ozempic® or Lipitor®. For example, Vedanta Biosciences received $23.8 million from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) for Phase 3 of its clinical trial for the C. diff therapy, VE303.

The National Institutes for Health (NIH) invested $96.7 million in C. diff from 2021 to 2025 for research efforts such as vaccine viability and a national registry for tracking fecal transplant recipients.

Additionally, the National Healthcare Safety Network, which tracks and reports C. diff and other healthcare-associated infections, is run by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The current budget reconciliation bill making its way through Congress, referred to as “One Big Beautiful Bill,” proposes several reductions in funding that would negatively impact both C. diff patients and United States health systems at-large.

As a result of this bill, 11.8 million people are expected to lose health insurance over the next decade resulting from $1.1 trillion of cuts to Medicaid (making this the largest spending cut in its history), the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Affordable Care Act. These cuts are projected to increase the level of uncompensated care patients receive, and put a heavy strain on rural hospitals–potentially resulting in their closure.

According to the President’s proposal for the Health and Human Services 2026 budget seeks to drastically cut the funding for the NIH, CDC, and the Food and Drug Administration. The Trump Administration’s spending cuts have already resulted in the elimination of thousands of employees across these agencies. It also would eliminate BARDA, folding it into a new HHS office. The funding reductions are as follows:

• CDC down 44% from $9.2 billion to $5.2 billion
• NIH down 40% from $47 billion to $27.5 billion
• FDA down 5.5% from $7.2 billion to $6.8 billion

The new HHS budget proposal, as with the current budget reconciliation bill, would severely limit our ability to maintain and improve C. diff treatments, prevention, and reporting.

“One Big Beautiful Bill,” as of the time of writing this summary, has been approved by the Senate. It will likely come to a vote in the House of Representatives on Thursday, July 3. If it cannot be approved in the House, it will return to the Senate for further consideration.

The yearly budget and appropriations process for 2026 will come into focus later this month, and discussions around the changes proposed by the Administration will continue through the fall.

The Capitol Switchboard is available at (202) 224-3121. This number connects you with the main switchboard for the U.S. Capitol Building. You can call and ask to be connected with a specific Senator’s or Representative’s office.

Tell your congressperson and senators’ offices that you oppose the cuts to Medicaid in “One Big Beautiful Bill” and the funding reductions for NIH, CDC, and other public health agencies in the President’s proposed 2026 Budget. If the call goes to voicemail, leave a brief message with your first name, zip code, and state your opposition to these cuts.

Example: “Hi, my name is Christian. I live in Brooklyn and my zip code is 11218. I’m calling to express my opposition to the cuts to Medicaid in the “Big, Beautiful Bill” and the proposed federal public health funding in the President’s 2026 Budget. As a survivor of C. diff (or family member, clinician), cuts to agencies like the NIH, CDC, and FDA threaten innovation for C. diff and antibiotic-resistant infections, which harm and kill hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. I ask that you vote against these cuts. Thank you.”