Integrity & Fairness in Review
The mission of CSR is to ensure that NIH grant applications receive fair, independent, expert, and timely scientific reviews – free from inappropriate influences – so that NIH can fund the most promising research.
Ultimately, the ability of peer review to identify the most promising research depends on the integrity and fairness of the process. A peer review process that is free from bias and inappropriate influences is absolutely essential to achieving the NIH’s mission, which is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems, and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. In addition, ensuring integrity in the peer review process is important for maintaining the public’s trust in the NIH. Reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the integrity and fairness of the peer review process, as their words and actions help shape the culture of peer review.
Understand your responsibilities:
- Maintaining Integrity in NIH Peer Review:
Responsibilities and Consequences
(NOT-OD-22-044) - Integrity and Confidentiality in NIH Peer Review
How to report a breach of integrity
Please contact your Scientific Review Officer, or the CSR Review Integrity Officer at csrrio@mail.nih.gov, or the NIH Review Policy Officer at reviewpolicyofficer@mail.nih.gov.
How to report concerns about fairness
For issues related to respectful interactions, bias or anything else that could affect the fairness of the review process, contact your SRO or send a message to reportbias@csr.nih.gov, which will reach CSR senior leadership.
Review Integrity Training
In 2019, we convened a working group of the CSR Advisory Council to create review integrity training. The training was revised in 2022 to use a more engaging format and to make use of real-life scenarios. The revised integrity training has been provided to CSR reviewers since the Fall 2022 review meetings and has been required for all NIH reviewers since 2024 (NOT-OD-23-156). As of November 2024, ~38,000 reviewers have completed the training.
Bias Awareness and Mitigation Training
CSR developed training specifically targeted toward mitigating the most common biases in the peer review process. The training includes personal testimonials, interactive exercises, and a narrated mock study section demonstrating techniques to intervene – all based on real-life examples. Training has been provided to all CSR reviewers since August 2021 and has been required for all NIH reviewers since 2024 (NOT-OD-23-156). As of November 2024, more than 40,000 reviewers have completed the training.
