The document summarizes a presentation by Dr. Lawrence Tabak, Acting Director of the NIH, given at the March 1, 2022 meeting of the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR). The discussion covered leadership changes at NIH, funding trends, updates on the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), and a focused commentary on gender bias in academia. Details were provided on NIH's fiscal year 2021 budget allocations, particularly in response to COVID-19, showing significant supplementary funding and a continued rise in research project grant applications, together with a noted decrease in success rates due to increased applicant numbers.
A significant portion of the presentation addressed NIH's ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, with detailed initiatives and policy changes aimed at combating gender bias and sexual harassment within the biomedical workforce. Despite notable progress among women in areas such as PhD program participation, disparities persist in faculty representation, tenure, and grant awards, especially pronounced among women of color. NIH has introduced measures including double-blinded grant review pilots, anti-harassment policies, enhanced reporting mechanisms, and support for work-life balance, such as flexible career development awards and parental leave accommodations. Recommendations were also made for further actions at both NIH and institutional levels to foster equity in hiring, conference participation, and family support. The presentation closed with a commitment to transparency, ongoing discussion, and forthcoming publications on NIH's efforts to address these systemic challenges.
