US National Institutes of Health grant process changes

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is undergoing significant changes to its grant processes and evaluation methods. The Trump administration has introduced a political review process that has delayed hundreds of medical research grants. This process involves political appointees flagging and freezing applications—including those previously approved by scientific peer reviewers—particularly those involving maternal health, aging, opioid abuse, or specific terminology related to race and gender.

Parallel to these administrative shifts, the NIH has proposed overhauling its evaluation system by replacing precise numerical scores with three broad tiers: top, middle, and bottom. This change is intended to allow the agency to balance peer reviews with broader health priorities. Meanwhile, research indicates a surge in the use of artificial intelligence to draft grant applications, raising concerns that standardized writing may be prioritized over scientific novelty. Some scientists have expressed concern that reduced scoring transparency could increase the potential for political interference in funding decisions.