How Inclusion Is Considered in the NIH Peer Review Process

How is inclusion by sex/gender, race, and ethnicity in clinical research considered in peer review?

Peer reviewers will be asked to evaluate the plans for the inclusion by sex/gender, race, and ethnicity in the application; specifically they will evaluate it as acceptable or unacceptable. Reviewers are instructed that their assessment of the applicant’s plan should be factored into the score for scientific and technical merit. Specific reviewer guidance can be found here.

How will the peer review of inclusion affect the scoring of my application?

Reviewers are instructed that their assessment of the applicant’s plan should be factored into the score for scientific and technical merit. Specific reviewer guidance can be found here.

What happens if my application gets an unacceptable rating for inclusion at peer review?

The Scientific Review Groups (SRGs) will evaluate the plans for inclusion in a manner consistent with the evaluation of all other factors that contribute to the overall impact score. Acceptable or unacceptable codes are assigned to each application for sex/gender and race/ethnicity. Any application given an unacceptable code “U,” results in a bar-to-¬funding and must be resolved before the application/proposal is funded.