NIH New Peer Review Plan

Last Friday, June 6th, the NIH announced the critical changes to enhance and improve its peer review system for funding applications. The changes are the result of a year-long study by communities both internal and external to NIH to analyze problems and devise solutions. The proposals of the working groups are intended to allow the peer review process to better achieve its purpose: “to fund the best science, by the best scientists, with the least administrative burden.”

Implementation of the new framework will take place over the next 18 months. The four core priorities of the innovations are to:
• Recruit, train and reward the best possible reviewers;
• Align structure of applications, review criteria, summary statements and the rating process to improve quality and transparency of reviews;
• Ensure balanced and fair reviews across scientific fields and scientific career stages while reducing unnecessary burden on applicants;
• Implement a system for continuous review and improvement of peer review.

According to the NIH announcement, “NIH is now in the final stages of communicating the results of the Peer Review Enhancement effort. An intensive planning process will soon begin that will detail the specifics for implementing the various actions outlined. These plans will include the metrics that will be used to define success of an action and will designate the time required before the formal evaluation metrics are applied. The NIH anticipates this planning process will take 12-18 months.

More information on the Enhancing NIH Peer Review initiative is available online at http://enhancing-peer-review.nih.gov/