NIH resumes critical grant making process
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is slowly getting back to business as usual after a communications freeze at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) put a halt to important meetings and travel related to the grant-review process. While operations are not yet fully back to pre-Trump administration levels, progress is being made.
The advisory council and scientific review meetings crucial to the NIH’s grant-making process have resumed, although they are still not meeting in open session. This process involves outside scientists providing final grant reviews and strategic advice before new programs are finalized.
When President Trump took office, a freeze was initiated on external communications at HHS and its sub-agencies. This freeze caused confusion and concern within the medical community, as it affected critical health research. However, recent guidance from HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon indicates that certain types of external communications are no longer subject to the pause, and clear guidance has been provided to all HHS divisions on seeking approval for mass communication.
NIH is taking a day-by-day approach to ensure compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which governs federal advisory committees’ operations and emphasizes public involvement through open meetings and reporting. NIH director Matthew Memoli recently sent a letter to staff to clarify the ongoing communications pause, stating that it was meant to allow the new team to set up a review and prioritization process.
Despite the freeze, research and clinical trials initiated before January 20 are allowed to continue, as not to lose investment in these studies. Officials working on these projects can purchase necessary supplies, conduct meetings related to their work, and submit papers to medical journals. Travel and hiring for ongoing projects can also continue with specific exemptions granted by Memoli’s office.
Overall, the NIH is slowly returning to normalcy after the communications freeze, and efforts are being made to ensure that critical research and operations are not unduly disrupted. Dr. Ali Khan, a former CDC scientist and current dean of the University of Nebraska’s school of public health, reassured that such pauses are not uncommon and only become concerning if they are used to silence agencies for political reasons.
