I take a week off and now we’re fact checking middle school math and running out of helium. Things are going great!
This week saw multiple congressional hearings related to the President’s budget request, a new executive order on psychedelic therapies, UK BioBank data for sale on Alibaba, and a publication situation at the CDC.
More details below:
Federal Research Policy
HHS Director RFK Jr testified before multiple congressional committees this week, to discuss the President’s budget request. The Times has coverage on the proceedings.
Nature has a nice summary of the request itself, which proposes decreased funding across most federal funders.
The proposed NIH budget again proposes to consolidate several ICOs and eliminate others.
Under NSF's proposed budget, the agency’s funding would be cut in half. As with the NIH, NSF funding has started to be released.
Last year Congress largely eschewed the President’s budget request when setting appropriations. There are early indications that they will do the same this year.
The New York Times has some reporting on the delays in NIH grant funding this year.
NIH’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs have been reauthorized for five years.
Not directly related to policy (yet), but the UK Biobank is facing scrutiny after listings offering access to its data appeared on the Chinese online marketplace Alibaba. This is the latest in a string of data breaches. Science has coverage.
NIH Policy Updates:
The leniency period for the use of the new Common Forms for the Biosketch and other documents will end May 7th.
The portion of the new Grants Policy Statement that imposes a 15% cap on indirect costs has been rescinded.
The peer review practices instituted after last year’s government closure will continue through the end of the year.
Public Health
The president signed an executive order this week that directs federal agencies to speed up research, review, and access to psychedelic therapies for conditions including treatment resistant depression.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order yesterday that calls for an “expedited hearing” to reschedule state-licensed/FDA approved medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. Stat has coverage.
Dr. Erica Schwartz has been nominated to lead the CDC. Science has coverage.
According to reporting by The Washington Post and New York Times, the CDC has an agency publication presenting evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine cut the likelihood of hospitalization has been canceled. Science has some additional coverage.