Human & Animal Subject Research

Addressing The issues of Human & Animal Subjects in a NIH Application

How do you need to address the use of human subjects in your NIH proposal? A quick read of a document entitled "NIH Instructions to Reviewers for Evaluating Research Involving Human Subjects in Grant and Cooperative Agreement Applications" will provide some guidance regarding what reviewers are instructed to look for in applications. In addition, NIAID provides a resource entitled

"How to Write a Human Subjects Application" that may be helpful in this regard.

Recently, the following important reminder has been attached to many NIH Study Section Assignment notices: This reminder suggests double checking a number of items associated with the use of Human and/or Animal Subjects. The first paragraph of this document reads as follows:

"Please check your recently submitted grant application to ensure that it conforms to NIH policies regarding human and animal subjects. Detailed instructions about these policies can be found at NIH Important Notice to Applicants: Requirements for Human and Animal Subjects Research.

If you find that some information is missing, you have 15 working days from the mailing date of the notice of study section assignment to provide the required information."

NIAID maintains a web page to assist investigators who are writing NIH proposals for studies which involve research animals. <>.
We urge all applicants to read NIAID's guide on "How to Write an Application Involving Research Animals" to ensure that all required information is included in their proposal. It is much easier and safer to address these matters in the original application than to have to send additional material to the SRA and risk the possibility that it may not find its way to the reviewers in a timely manner.

[This last link contains an excellent description of the path of a NIH application through the review process]