Thousands of NIH employees signed a petition-style complaint about problems the agency has experienced since HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s tenure began.

In a written response shared with the AP, Bhattacharya defended the agency’s direction, insisting the letter “has some fundamental misconceptions about the policy directions the NIH has taken in recent months.” But he reiterated his commitment to dialogue: “Respectful dissent in science is productive,” he said. “We all want the NIH to succeed.”

Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Health Care Health Care   The Big Story Trump NIH chief poised to face budget cuts scrutiny at hearingNIH Director Jay Bhattacharya heads to

At a budget hearing, Sen. Collins criticized the Trump administration’s proposed NIH cuts, warning they could halt Alzheimer’s progress and drive scientists out of the U.S.

National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya claimed the dean of Stanford Medical School asked him to stop speaking with the press

Hundreds of workers at the National Institutes of Health on Monday openly protested the Trump administration’s cuts to the agency.

The letter was signed by 92 NIH scientists and many more who remained anonymous across all 27 of the agency's divisions.