The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) is a newly established federal research and development agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), tasked with accelerating transformative health outcomes for all. ARPA-H operates under a distinct mandate from President Biden to pursue ambitious, high-risk, high-impact projects that address major health challenges in ways that are not possible through traditional funding and research mechanisms. Unlike the NIH’s typical grant-based, disease-specific research, ARPA-H employs a lean, dynamic, and disease-agnostic structure driven by visionary program managers (PMs) who act as CEOs of their programs. These PMs are responsible for conceiving and executing bold initiatives, with term limits designed to foster urgency and a continual influx of new ideas. The agency strategically utilizes diverse contract vehicles and partnerships, favoring cooperative agreements and other flexible mechanisms to expedite solutions.
ARPA-H’s model is rooted in identifying well-defined, seemingly insurmountable health challenges, soliciting innovative solutions from varied performers, and actively managing progress toward audacious goals. The comprehensive lifecycle spans from program design and performer team-building to execution, commercialization, and transition of scalable solutions to stakeholders, aiming for broad and equitable impact. The agency places strong emphasis on technical honesty, adaptability, and outcome-focused evaluation, with lessons learned continually informing future endeavors. Initial mission focus areas include expanding the technical frontiers of health science, ensuring scalable and rapid dissemination of solutions, fostering proactive health interventions, and building resilient healthcare systems. ARPA-H calls for interdisciplinary, entrepreneurial PMs to lead these efforts, seeking individuals from diverse backgrounds with recognized expertise, drive, and a willingness to challenge the status quo. The agency has begun onboarding key personnel and is engaging broadly with stakeholders, marking the start of its mission to drive radical innovation in health.
