Feedback released by the NIH shows that researchers are divided over a proposal to limit how many grants an individual scientist may hold at once. STAT reported that the agency published anonymized responses submitted after its request for public input. The NIH said it received 3,307 responses, with 40% opposing a cap, 27% supporting one and 32% expressing mixed views. Many of the 3,300 commenters also emphasized the importance of supporting early-career scientists.
The response totals suggest the proposal has produced a broader range of reactions than earlier efforts to advance similar limits. The agency presented the cap as one possible way to address competition for government funding for biomedical research. The NIH said the policy could help produce a more balanced research portfolio and support responsible stewardship of funding. It also linked the proposal to workforce sustainability and the objectives of the NIH Unified Funding Strategy.
The proposal was put forward in June as a limit on the number of grants each scientist could hold at a given time. The agency’s explanation has not eliminated concerns among experts who agree with the broader aim of the plan. Some of those experts warned that the change could create another disruption for researchers during a period they described as tumultuous. Others argued that counting grants alone would be an overly simple way to address the issue.
Taken together, the feedback reflects support for the proposal’s stated goals alongside disagreement about whether a uniform cap is the right mechanism. The NIH’s release gives particular weight to the competing views in the responses rather than presenting the proposal as having clear consensus. The agency’s figures therefore point to a policy debate that remains unsettled, with support, opposition and qualified reactions all represented in the feedback.