Grantee Institutions' Actions To Strengthen Policies in Response to Concerns Regarding Potential Foreign Influence on NIH-Funded Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) requires grantee institutions to report their researchers' financial interests and affiliations with foreign entities. NIH and Congress have raised concerns that the failure by some NIH-funded researchers to disclose to grantee institutions substantial contributions of resources from other organizations, including foreign governments, threatens to distort decisions about the appropriate use of NIH funds. In response to these concerns, NIH has taken steps to improve the accurate reporting of all sources of research support, financial interests, and affiliations. In July 2019, NIH released a notice to its extramural research community clarifying its policy regarding other support, including foreign affiliations. Given NIH's efforts to increase awareness among its grantee institutions regarding financial interests and foreign influence, this evaluation will focus on grantee institutions' policies and procedures related to (1) ensuring that researchers report all foreign affiliations (including foreign positions and scientific appointments, financial interests in foreign entities, research support from foreign entities, and any other foreign affiliations) and (2) reviewing the foreign affiliations that researchers report. This evaluation will also determine to what extent grantee institutions have updated or revised these policies and procedures to address recent concerns and NIH guidance.
Announced or Revised | Agency | Title | Component | Report Number(s) | Expected Issue Date (FY) |
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Completed | National Institutes of Health | Grantee Institutions' Actions To Strengthen Policies in Response to Concerns Regarding Potential Foreign Influence on NIH-Funded Research | Office of Evaluation and Inspections | OEI-03-20-00210 | 2022 |