麻豆传媒色情片

Blotter

ASBMB responds to proposal for new health research agency

Society recommends keeping funding for ARPA-H separate from that of other agencies and developing a unique strategic plan
Sarina Neote
July 27, 2021

The 麻豆传媒色情片 and 麻豆传媒色情片 Biology submitted formal comments on July 16 to U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., and Fred Upton, R-Mich., advocating for the Biden administration’s proposed Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, called ARPA-H for short, to be independent from the National Institutes of Health and to be transparent with the scientific community about its research efforts.

As proposed, ARPA-H would be modeled on the . Created in the late 1950s, DARPA has had many , such as stealth technology. microelectronics and the communications network that launched the internet.

President Joe Biden first called for the creation of ARPA-H in to a joint session of Congress in April. “It would have a singular purpose: to develop breakthroughs to prevent, detect and treat diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes and cancer,” Biden said.

White House Flickr
President Joe Biden proposed a new semi-separate agency focused on significant health challenges during his first address to Congress in late April. In his remarks, he said the new entity would "have a singular purpose: to develop breakthroughs to prevent, detect, and treat diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes and cancer." He continued: "(S)o many of us have deceased sons, daughters and relatives who died of cancer.  I can think of no more worthy investment.  I know of nothing that is more bipartisan. ... It’s within our power to do it." .

How ARPA-H would differ from other science agencies

The NIH and the choose which research projects to fund through their es. With the NIH’s budget limitations and the resulting intense competition for grants, the NIH is often viewed as risk averse when selecting projects to fund.

Francis S. Collins is director of the National Institutes of Health.
Eric S. Lander leads the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

ARPA-H, however, would put its research proposals through a considerably in which program managers would select projects to be funded. Theoretically, this would enable funding of high-risk, high-reward endeavors.

This point was made in a published July 9 by NIH Director Francis S. Collins and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Eric S. Lander. They wrote: “Whereas most NIH proposals are ‘curiosity-driven,’ these ideas (for ARPA-H) are largely ‘use-driven’ research — that is, research directed at solving a practical problem.”

The Biden administration has described the this way: “To make pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies and broadly applicable platforms, capabilities, resources, and solutions that have the potential to transform important areas of medicine and health for the benefit of all patients and that cannot readily be accomplished through traditional research or activity.”

A key factor differentiating ARPA-H from other federal funding agencies is that there will be more variation in the ; some projects will have significantly longer funding periods than what existing federal agencies offer. 

ARPA-H's organizational structure, as currently proposed, would be flat, meaning middle management will be minimized. The purpose of having a flat structure is to allow the agency to make decisions quickly and pivot from one research project to the next easily.

As envisioned by the culture of ARPA-H would value bold goals with big potential impact over incremental progress, and the organization would attract program managers from industry and leading universities.

ASBMB calls for ARPA-H to be independent and unique

While ARPA-H could lead to extraordinary scientific breakthroughs, the ASBMB argues that the agency must be independent and have unique research priorities that are not duplicative of other agencies’.

In comments submitted earlier this month to DeGette and Upton, the ASBMB provided a series of recommendations to ensure ARPA-H's success.

The ASBMB submitted formal comments on the proposed creation of ARPA-H. Read what we sent to U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., and Fred Upton, R-Mich.

First, ARPA-H must be a lean, nimble agency that is primarily run by its program managers. This recommendation aligns with what has been proposed and is grounded in these characteristics were key contributors to DARPA’s success.

Second, ARPA-H must have a clear strategic plan that outlines the agency’s research priorities for the next two years, the draft of which must be posted publicly for stakeholder input during the biennial review process. This process of drafting a strategic plan and soliciting feedback from the scientific community is similar what is done by and .

Third, the ASBMB strongly urges policymakers to keep funding for ARPA-H separate from NIH funding. This will ensure that increases made to the NIH’s budget will support the vital research that NIH is already funding at its institutes.

Lastly, for any agency to be successful, it must have a diverse and inclusive work environment. ARPA-H must have a robust anti-harassment policy, must pay all employees equally for equivalent work and must prevent racial and gender inequities in the distribution of funding.

Read the full comments here.

Enjoy reading ASBMB Today?

Become a member to receive the print edition monthly and the digital edition weekly.

Learn more
Sarina Neote

Sarina Neote is ASBMB's director of public affairs.

Get the latest from ASBMB Today

Enter your email address, and we鈥檒l send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.

Latest in Policy

Policy highlights or most popular articles

ASBMB seeks feedback on NIH postdoc training questions
Training

ASBMB seeks feedback on NIH postdoc training questions

Sept. 18, 2024

The National Institutes of Health takes steps toward addressing concerns about support caps, a funding mechanism and professional development.

5 growing threats to academic freedom
Essay

5 growing threats to academic freedom

Aug. 18, 2024

From educational gag orders to the decline of tenure-track positions, academic freedom in the United States has been worsening in recent years.

Will Congress revive the China Initiative?
Diversity

Will Congress revive the China Initiative?

Aug. 14, 2024

The 2018 program to counter economic espionage raised fears about anti-Asian discrimination and discouraged researchers.

The sweeping impact of the Supreme Court鈥檚 Chevron reversal
News

The sweeping impact of the Supreme Court鈥檚 Chevron reversal

Aug. 3, 2024

Repealing the 40-year-old doctrine throws laws on climate, conservation, health, technology and more into doubt.

Federal funding for major science agencies is at an 25-year low
News

Federal funding for major science agencies is at an 25-year low

Aug. 3, 2024

Although usually immune from political gridlock and polarization in Congress, government spending on research is slated to drop for 2025.

The visa voyage
Feature

The visa voyage

July 24, 2024

International scientists fight through red tape and regulations for a chance to train and work in the U.S.