NIH Seeks Input on Peer-Review Process
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking input on a proposed revised framework for evaluating and scoring peer review criteria for NIH research project grant (RPG) applications. NIH is proposing a revised simplified framework that will reorganize five major regulatory criteria under three scored categories and reduce the number of non-score driving review considerations that reviewers evaluate in judging the scientific merit of RPG applications. The proposed changes pertain to those RPGs with standard review criteria. All the factors required by regulation will continue to be evaluated. NIH is not proposing to revise the regulatory criteria. Rather, NIH is proposing to revise its policy of how peer reviewers score the criteria, and how NIH organizes the criteria for review purposes. NIH believes that these changes will allow peer reviewers to refocus on the critical task of judging scientific merit and will improve those judgements by reducing bias.
Comments and feedback are important for helping to shape these new policies that are aimed at reducing reviewer burden, incentivizing participation, and mitigating reputational bias in the peer review process. The Request for Information (RFI) is available here. Responses are requested by March 10, 2023. For more information see here.
Comments should be submitted electronically to the following webpage at: https://rfi.grants.nih.gov/?s=638509b5409baa49f803e572.
This RFI is for planning purposes only and should not be construed as a policy, solicitation for applications, or as an obligation on the part of the Government to provide support for any ideas identified in response to it. Please note that the Government will not pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for its use of that information.