[Fomite]

Most of the researchers are U.S. citizens, so in effect they are.

Also, most NIH-funded researchers have gotten quite used to continual budget cuts, uncertainty, and needing to make every cent count. "Expensive" does not equal wasteful.

[mkramlich]

1.3B$ to observe a bunch of kids growing up, taking metrics of them periodically, sounds like some serious inefficiencies going on there

[Fomite]

Compared to what? What some folks in SV will blow $1.3 billion on?

Cohort studies like this one have led to some major advancements in our understanding of disease - if you know anyone who takes aspirin to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, for example, that came out of a cohort study. There is a tremendous amount we don't know about the development of diseases in childhood, life-course trajectories, the effects of environmental exposures that need well conducted, large sized studies - the large bit is important, as they need statistical power if anything will meaningfully change in terms of policy.