NIH has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to collect comments and suggestions on the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for COVID-19 Research.

Released on July 13, 2020, the plan provides a framework for accelerating the development of therapeutic interventions, vaccines, and diagnostics. The framework outlines five priorities, or key areas of COVID-19 pandemic research, addressing topics that range from improving fundamental knowledge of the virus to advancing treatment and improving infection prevention. To support the five strategic priorities, NIH will pursue cross-cutting strategies that build upon its existing strengths as the nation’s premier biomedical research agency, partnering to promote collaborative science, supporting the research workforce and infrastructure, and investing in data science. Through this framework, NIH is rapidly mobilizing new programs and existing resources to lead a swift, coordinated research response to this global pandemic.

Because of the urgency and evolving nature of the pandemic, the plan is intended to be a living document, which will be continually updated to reflect new challenges presented by COVID-19. To ensure that it remains in step with public needs, this RFI invites stakeholders throughout the scientific research, advocacy, and clinical practice communities, as well as the general public, to comment on the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for COVID-19 Research.

All comments must be submitted electronically on the submission website by 11:59 p.m. on December 7, 2020.