NIH Spending on ME/CFS in 2017 - the Good and the Bad of It

[Cort]

The good news - NIH spending on ME/CFS went up dramatically in 2017. The bad news - the area of spending that we most need - individual researcher funding - actually went down. Jennie Spotila does a great job in breaking it down in her latest post.

We REALLY need individual investigators to step up and apply for grants. That's where the NIH spends most of its money....

While problems exist, an analysis I did indicated that grant acceptance rates are not lower for ME/CFS as a whole - the main problem is that researchers are not applying for grants.

http://occupyme.net/2018/03/20/2017-nih-spending-on-mecfs-research/

 

[Diwi9]

While problems exist, an analysis I did indicated that grant acceptance rates are not lower for ME/CFS as a whole - the main problem is that researchers are not applying for grants.

Interesting, as this is what Dr. Koroshetz at the NIH has been saying.

 

[Cort]

Interesting, as this is what Dr. Koroshetz at the NIH has been saying.

Yes, indeed. How to get more researchers to apply is a bit of a conundrum....Perhaps we need new researchers...

We should be getting a spike of applications during the next round - as the NIH research center losers submit their applications

 

[Wayne]

the main problem is that researchers are not applying for grants.

I seem to recall that for a very long time, showing any interest in CFS research was considered to be a "career killer". After all, it was already well known CFS was a psychological disease--right? Why look for something physical when it's already been figured out it's not?

My understanding is it was similar to anybody who even expressed an interest in researching and possibly finding something good about cannibis--which went on for many decades. Once an interest became known, it too became a career killer. There's just so much dysfunction in the medical research field, which dramatically skews results on so many things.

I don't know if the fear of having a career aspirations being dashed is still a factor limiting applications for grants in ME/CFS. But I do have some pretty clear memories that the climate around CFS research used to be very bad. I hope it's changed, or is changing for the better.​

 

[caledonia]

Uh no, that's what they want you to believe. Don't be deceived by their doublespeak.

Seasoned researchers who have won grants in other fields apply for ME/CFS grants and get denied for nonsensical reasons - case in point: Ron Davis.

https://www.meaction.net/2015/08/20/ron-davis-nih-proposal/

\http://www.meaction.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ResponseToNIHRejectionsRonDavis.pdf

 

[Diwi9]

Uh no, that's what they want you to believe. Don't be deceived by their doublespeak.

Seasoned researchers who have won grants in other fields apply for ME/CFS grants and get denied for nonsensical reasons - case in point: Ron Davis.

Yes, Ron Davis should have received a grant. However, the grant-issuing process is terribly flawed. It's a popularity contest. This is why popular diseases that have been well-researched, continue to receive funding at high rates...while less popular diseases receive little funding.

I think the only point being made here is that the more grant proposals means more grants issued. We are in a bind with so few researchers in the field, who all remain very busy and grant applications take time and resources. As @Cort states, it's a conundrum.

 

[Cort]

Yes, Ron Davis should have received a grant. However, the grant-issuing process is terribly flawed. It's a popularity contest. This is why popular diseases that have been well-researched, continue to receive funding at high rates...while less popular diseases receive little funding.

I think the only point being made here is that the more grant proposals means more grants issued. We are in a bind with so few researchers in the field, who all remain very busy and grant applications take time and resources. As @Cort states, it's a conundrum.

The good news is that Ron who is what - 76 years old - quickly applied for a grant and then told me he was going to try to get two more in before the next session this year. The one he applied for was with Mark Davis on the T-cell connection.

 

[Cort]

I seem to recall that for a very long time, showing any interest in CFS research was considered to be a "career killer". After all, it was already well known CFS was a psychological disease--right? Why look for something physical when it's already been figured out it's not?

My understanding is it was similar to anybody who even expressed an interest in researching and possibly finding something good about cannibis--which went on for many decades. Once an interest became known, it too became a career killer. There's just so much dysfunction in the medical research field, which dramatically skews results on so many things.

I don't know if the fear of having a career aspirations being dashed is still a factor limiting applications for grants in ME/CFS. But I do have some pretty clear memories that the climate around CFS research used to be very bad. I hope it's changed, or is changing for the better.​

I hope its changing. Francis Collins and Walter Koroshetz talking up ME/CFS in high profile situations can only help...

 

[Cort]

Uh no, that's what they want you to believe. Don't be deceived by their doublespeak.

Seasoned researchers who have won grants in other fields apply for ME/CFS grants and get denied for nonsensical reasons - case in point: Ron Davis.

https://www.meaction.net/2015/08/20/ron-davis-nih-proposal/

\http://www.meaction.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ResponseToNIHRejectionsRonDavis.pdf

For sure and that will continue. Ron's first grant though did not go to the CFS special emphasis panel which is now lead by ME/CFS professionals. Still I wonder if Ron is getting some push back for his popularity really....

 

[Diwi9]

For sure and that will continue. Ron's first grant though did not go to the CFS special emphasis panel which is now lead by ME/CFS professionals. Still I wonder if Ron is getting some push back for his popularity really....

I also wonder if his hypothesis-testing is coming up against the NIH's Intra Mural study? Hopefully with a more specialized grant review team, ME/CFS...especially Ron's research...will become a priority. So glad that he continues to apply.