As part of AcademyHealth's series of occasional updates aimed at offering clarity and expert insights in the fast-evolving federal landscape, this edition of the Situation Report includes: 

  • Opportunity to Support AHRQ and a Summary of This Week’s Update
  • Wellness Resources
  • Share Your Story. Use Your Voice.

Opportunity to Support AHRQ and a Summary of This Week’s Update

NEW: The Friends of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) have released an opportunity for organizations to sign on to a letter to Congress calling on the Agency to be fully funded in FY26. You can read the letter and have your organization sign it here. The deadline is February 27. If you want to join the Friends listserv, email us at Advocacy@academyhealth.org. 

Below we offer a summary of previous updates published earlier this week. These updates can be found here and here.

AcademyHealth's Situation Reports this week highlighted critical issues surrounding recent federal changes impacting research institutions, including funding policy change at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and updates on Executive Order Implementation that affect health services research contract and grant awardees. 

NIH announced a new policy capping indirect cost rates for grants at 15 percent, effective February 10, 2025. Previously, these rates averaged between 27 and 28 percent, and the sudden change could severely impact institutions reliant on indirect costs to support research infrastructure. This reduction threatens to cause job losses, lab closures, and a decline in innovation, disproportionately affecting smaller and under-resourced institutions. Legal challenges have already been initiated against this NIH policy, citing potential violations of existing agreements and federal laws.

Regarding Executive Order implementation, new directives from agencies like the CDC, HRSA, NSF, DOE, and NASA require the termination of activities not compliant with recent EOs, and failure to comply could result in partial or complete termination of funding. Awardees are advised to actively monitor agency communications, carefully review EO guidelines, and maintain thorough documentation of compliance efforts. Open dialogue with project officers and securing necessary contract modifications are crucial steps for managing compliance risks and ensuring the continuation of funded projects.

On Thursday, the Senate voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. You can track the status of every appointee requiring confirmation via the Partnership for Public Service at https://ourpublicservice.org/performance-measures/political-appointee-tracker/.

Wellness Resources  

People handle uncertainty in different ways, but there are straightforward steps you can take to strengthen your resilience during challenging times. We’ve curated the below list of articles and online resources to provide extra support and guidance: 

If you have found resources to help you maintain your well-being that you would like to share, please send them to us at info@academyhealth.org. 

Share Your Story. Use Your Voice. 

This section includes opportunities to share your story and use your voice, including survey opportunities to share how recent federal changes have impacted your life, alongside tools designed to amplify your engagement.

Have the Executive Orders affected your work? 

AcademyHealth organizational member the National Health Council is collaborating with several organizations including Independent Sector, ASAE, and The National Council on Nonprofits, to evaluate the impact of the recent Executive Orders. The National Council on Nonprofits is collecting stories of the effects of recent executive actions on nonprofits. Help them track the impacts of recent Executive Orders on the nonprofit sector by filling out this form. Share your story.  

Impact of NIH Indirect Costs Cap

AcademyHealth organizational member Research!America is conducting an optional survey to gather information on how recent executive orders have affected health and medical research. The goal is to collect real-world examples that may be shared with members of Congress and the Administration. This survey will remain open until Monday, March 3rd at 5pm ET. Access the survey.

NIH in Your State

This website by United for Medical Research (UMR), an organization that advocates for the benefits of investment in the National Institutes of Health, provides information about the impact of NIH funding on local communities across the United States, highlighting how these investments contribute to health advancements and economic growth. https://www.unitedformedicalresearch.org/nih-in-your-state/

Make Your Voice Heard

5calls is an app and website that walks you through how to call your representatives in just five minutes a day. https://5calls.org/ 

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