November 2025 Newsletter
Prepared by Van Scoyoc Associates 

President Trump Signs Funding Package Ending Government Shutdown
On November 12, President Trump signed into law the Continuing Appropriations Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026, ending the government shutdown that began on October 1. The package temporarily extends funding through January 30, 2026, for nine annual appropriations bills, including the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education bill, while lawmakers complete work on those bills. Read more here.

Study Finds NIH Grant Cuts Disrupted Hundreds of Clinical Trials
The Washington Post recently reported on a new study showing that funding disruptions have affected 383 clinical trials (about 1 in 30) and more than 74,000 participants. The study was published in JAMA Internal Medicine (subscription required). Read more here.

CDC to End All Monkey Research
Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been told to phase out all of their monkey research. Apart from the retirement of research chimpanzees initiated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) a decade ago, the move would mark the first time a U.S. agency has ended its in-house nonhuman primate program. Read more here.

NIH Announces Expiration of SBIR and STTR Funding Opportunities
On November 17, the NIH, issued a notice announcing the early expiration of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) notices of funding opportunity and guidance for existing recipients following the October 1 expiration of legislative authority for the programs. Read more here.

NIH Announces Unified Funding Strategy to Guide Award Decisions
On November 21, the NIH issued an announcement on “Implementing a Unified NIH Funding Strategy to Guide Consistent and Clearer Award Decisions,” which according to the agency aims to “support the most scientifically meritorious research ideas possible, address health priorities, and support a robust biomedical workforce.” The framework is effective on the January 2026 Council round. Read more here.

NIH Announces Emergency Modifications for Peer Review
In a November 24^th NIH funding blog post, the Acting Director of NIH’s Center for Scientific Review shared updates on emergency modifications to NIH peer review. The blog noted that “NIH plans to review all applications submitted for the January 2026 Councils and maintain the quality of review.” To address the backlog of applications scheduled for peer review, NIH will implement modifications that will remain in place through the May 2026 Advisory Council. Read more here.

Updated Guidance on Reopening of NIH Extramural Activities Following Lapse in Appropriations
On November 24, the NIH issued guidance to provide the extramural community with information on how NIH is resuming operations after the government shutdown. Read more here.

NIH Announces Extension of Deadline for Extramural Loan Repayment Programs
On November 25, the NIH issued an update on the extension for extramural loan repayment programs. The notice stated that the Extramural Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Application Submission Deadline has been extended to December 4, 2025. NIH shared that the new deadline also applies to reference letters and institutional certifications. Read more here.