NIH released Request for Information (RFI): Inviting Input on an NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Autoimmune Disease Research to seek feedback from the scientific community and public on four objectives related to establishing NIH’s new Office of Autoimmune Disease Research.
In 2022, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report “Enhancing NIH Research on Autoimmune Disease” examined NIH research efforts related to autoimmune diseases. Subsequently, Congress directed NIH to establish an Office of Autoimmune Disease Research within the Office of Research on Women’s Health (OADR-ORWH) and directed OADR-ORWH to:
- Coordinate development of a multi-institute and center (IC) strategic research plan.
- Identify emerging areas of innovation and research opportunity.
- Coordinate and foster collaborative research across ICs.
- Annually evaluate the NIH autoimmune disease research portfolio.
- Provide resources to support planning, collaboration, and innovation.
- Develop a publicly accessible central repository for autoimmune disease research.
Currently, various NIH ICs support autoimmune disease research in alignment with their individual mission areas. Establishing an NIH-wide strategic plan will allow OADR-ORWH to amplify IC efforts, create opportunities for synergistic innovation, and implement cross-cutting research.
Information Requested
NIH seeks input from the scientific community, as well as the public, on the following key areas related to autoimmune disease research:
OBJECTIVE 1: Research areas that would benefit from cross-cutting, collaborative research (these areas may include basic or translational research, clinical research, health services research, population science, data science, preventative research, biomedical engineering, and other areas of research).
OBJECTIVE 2: Opportunities to advance collaborative, innovative, or interdisciplinary areas of autoimmune disease research.
OBJECTIVE 3: Opportunities to improve outcomes for individuals living with autoimmune diseases including NIH-designated health disparities populations, populations and individuals with rare diseases, and specific populations that have been historically underrepresented in research and clinical trials.
OBJECTIVE 4: Cross-cutting areas that are integral to advancing autoimmune disease research at NIH including development of a publicly accessible central repository for autoimmune disease research, sex- and gender-intentional research design across all stages of research, and engagement of all populations in research and clinical trials.
How to Submit a Response
Submit comments to this RFI electronically via Request for Information (RFI): Inviting Input on an NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Autoimmune Disease Research by March 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.