Solve ME/CFS Initiative blog post: Dr. Zaher Nahle’s Response to the NIH RFI
Solve ME/CFS Initiative submitted a unique and pointed response to the recent NIH request for information (RFI), NOT-NS-16-024, regarding new research strategies for ME/CFS.
On May 24, 2016, the National Institutes for Health (NIH) released the first ever Request for Information (RFI) regarding ME/CFS. The RFI specifically requested submissions to address new research strategies for ME/CFS. From one research organization to another, Solve ME/CFS Initiative (SMCI) used this opportunity to articulate what our vision for an ideal research opportunity from the NIH would look like.
On June 24, 2016, SMCI submitted to the NIH a sample funding opportunity announcement (FOA) addressing the key elements we feel have been absent or underfunded in ME/CFS research. This hypothetical FOA was authored by SMCI’s vice president for research and scientific programs, Dr. Zaher Nahle, and presented utilizing the formatting and language of the NIH itself. The reasoning behind replicating the NIH’s own model was to highlight the dire need for research funding and encourage discussion of the NIH’s responsibility to further ME/CFS studies.
Dr. Nahle’s submission includes discussion on the following topics:
- Interdisciplinary research and biomarkers
- Bioenergetics
- Neuroendocrine systems
- Immunity and inflammation
- Epidemiology and diagnosis
- Physiological interactions
- Treatment and quality of life
- Methodological considerations
- Funding support and timelines
To read SMCI’s full RFI submission, please click here.
[Please note that this is NOT an announcement of (or any part of) an actual FOA. This document was prepared and submitted by Dr. Zaher Nahle, vice president for research and scientific programs at SMCI, using existing material from the NIH website combined with original content and opinions. This document is intended for informational use only and is a fictional FOA.]
