Shutdown keeps 10 children with cancer from clinical trials

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- Ten U.S. children with cancer won't be able to begin their clinical trials due to the government shutdown, officials at the National Institutes of Health said.

John Burklow, a spokesman for the NIH, told ABCNews.com more than 1,400 ongoing clinical trials will continue at the NIH Clinical Center, which is the largest research hospital in the world, but it won't be able to add new patients or start any new trials during the shutdown.

NIH had to furlough 14,700 employees, or 75 percent of its staff, because of the shutdown, Burklow said.

There are four new clinical trials scheduled and ready to start next week, but if the government is still shut down, these trials won't be starting, Burklow said.