[Comment] Public health research and health equity threatened by new US policies: impact and opportunities for Latin America

For decades, Latin American public health research has depended on US federal funds. Research shifts in US research priorities—including reduced emphasis on health equity, gender, and diversity—show what should have been obvious: depending on external funding means ceding control over regional research agendas. This is not a crisis to lament but a wake-up call to act. Latin America needs national and regional policies that invest sustainably in research as a development pillar, prioritizing local relevance and regional needs.