Aug. 22, 2025

NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, last week released a statement declaring a unified approach to advance the agency’s mission to align Institute priorities and funding approaches. Included is a list of priorities to be addressed.

Noted priorities are training future biomedical scientists, prioritizing research that is replicable and reproducible, establishing a robust and secure real-world data platform and enhancing AI research. The statement says the agency will develop an AI strategic plan intended to enhance transparency, develop AI research replication standards, and expedite the production of AI discoveries to best serve patients.

Additionally, NIH will utilize a new structure for foreign research collaborations, following a White House Executive Order about improving oversight of federal grantmaking. The structure will consider foreign institutions receiving funds for work as independent awards linked to the parent project, which will hold all awardees to the grant terms and conditions.

This is one of the first agency-wide statements released by the Director. ACR® continues to track this announcement as NIH plans are released.

For more information or if you have questions, contact Katie Grady, ACR Government Affairs Director.

Related ACR News

  • CMS Updates ICD-10 Codes for Radiology NCDs

    Change Request 14194 details ICD-10 coding revisions for mammograms, PET for oncologic conditions and percutaneous image-guided breast biopsy.

    Read more
  • House Spending Bill Maintains NIH Funding Levels

    The House FY2026 spending bill maintains NIH funding at $48B, rejecting proposed cuts; ACR continues advocacy for medical research as a national priority.

    Read more
  • Feds Propose Revising Small Business Size Standards

    The SBA released a proposed rule to revise the monetary-based small business size standards for 263 industries, including diagnostic imaging centers.

    Read more