The Endocrine Society responded to a NIH proposal to cap the number of research project grants a Principal Investigator or Multi-Principal can have at one time. The Society opposed the grant cap, citing risks to scientific merit review, collaboration among scientists, increased administrative burden, policy alignment with broader NIH and federal efforts, and potential talent loss. The Society recommended enhancing existing funding mechanisms rather than imposing arbitrary limits. In presenting its plans, the NIH argued the proposal would maximize scientific productivity and innovation and funding that becomes available from a cap could then be used to broaden the distribution of grants among new investigators, support novel ideas, and lead to new discoveries. The Society will share updates on how this proposal develops as details become available.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Loan Repayment Program (LRP) is a program established by Congress that used to recruit and retain biomedical researchers by repaying up to $50,000 annually of a researcher’s educational debt in return for the researcher’s commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research. NIH is simplifying the application structure to have researchers choose from three subcategories instead of six to reduce administrative burden. Details about the consolidated pathways are available here.
The Endocrine Society is extremely concerned about a proposed rule from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that would introduce sweeping changes to the rules governing all federal grant funding. The proposed rule would give political appointees the power to block grant awards that do not align with current administration priorities, allow federal agencies to terminate grants at any time without a formal appeals process, and impose restrictions on publication costs and international collaborations, among other disruptions. Taken together, the proposed rule directly threatens the foundational principles of merit-based science in the United States. We need your help to educate Congress about how these proposals would affect medical research. Please take a moment to join our online advocacy campaign to urge your Representative and Senators to block implementation of this rule.
We rely on your voice to advocate for our policy priorities. Join us to show our strength as a community that cares about endocrinology. Contact your US representatives or European Members of Parliament through our online platform. Take action and make a difference today.
