On Feb. 12, 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a Request for Information (RFI) on suggestions to inform the development of a framework for the agency’s Strategic Plan for FYs 2021-2025. The RFI seeks to collect information on several broad themes, including increasing diversity, improving women and minority health, and address public health across the lifespan, among others. The RFI will also collect information related to three broad objectives, including advancing biomedical and behavioral sciences, developing maintaining, and renewing scientific research capacity, and promoting the highest level of integrity and accountability in the conduct of science. The RFI provides an opportunity for the heart valve community to comment on NIH’s work to date to develop innovations to treat heart valve disease while informing future NIH activities to collect data on these interventions. It also is a venue to advocate for resources to promote new research regarding how heart valve disease may be adequately treated across the lifespan and among specific populations.
The NIH is currently operating within its strategic plan for FYs 2016-2020. The 21st Century Cures Act (Public Law 114-255) mandated that this process occur every five years. Responses to the RFI are due on March 25, 2020.
While the NHI currently has various heart valve disease research projects underway through the National Heart. Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the FY 2016-2020 strategic plan did not specifically identify heart valve disease as a priority. Heart Valve Voice US will be providing comments to NIH with suggested research priorities. Our recommendations will be based on the output from a stakeholders meeting we convened in 2019.
