NIH Alters Grant Review Process, Focusing on Scientific Merit

On October 19, 2023, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced plans to alter and simplify its grant review process, attempting to eliminate reputational bias in grant allocation. The updated strategies intend to focus predominantly on the scientific merit of the research proposal rather than the historical success of the scientists who present them.  

“Studies have shown that consideration of [the] reputation of the institution or investigator in the grant review process could affect [the] assessment of scientific merit, potentially giving reputation greater weight than other factors,” said Lawrence A. Tabak, DDS, PhD, Acting Director of the NIH, in the press release. “Ultimately, the potential impact of ideas on advancing science should outweigh the reputation of who is applying and where they work.” 

Almost a year ago, the NIH developed and proposed a simplified framework for peer review. Before this change, the NIH considered and scored significance, investigators, innovation, approach, and environment in the overall impact score.  

However, new provisions proposed that three primary factors be considered starting January 25, 2025. First, peer reviewers will consider the importance of the research, including significance and innovation, scoring them on a scale of 1–9. The second factor also scored on a scale of 1–9, including rigor and feasibility based on the approach.  

The final factor will consider expertise and resources. While this component considers investigators and the environment in the overall impact, it does not provide a numerical score. Instead, this category will be defined by appropriate expertise and resources or gaps identified in expertise and resources. Any gaps would require further explanation.  

The NIH also considers responses from over 800 individuals and scientific organizations when developing the timeline, training, and implementation strategies for these changes.  

“As the world’s largest public funder of biomedical and behavioral research, NIH strives to continually improve the grant application review process,” said NIH Center for Scientific Review Director Noni Byrnes, PhD, in the statement. “The simplified review framework will focus peer review on the key questions needed to assess the scientific and technical merit of proposed research projects — should and can the proposed research project be conducted?”