STAT+: Universities begin search for indirect-cost fix that might assuage Trump administration
Academic groups announced an effort to develop a “simple and easily explained model” of funding indirect research costs
As they battle the Trump administration in court over its plan to slash the amount of overhead and other “indirect costs” paid to recipients of National Institutes of Health research grants, universities have begun discussing alternative funding ideas in hopes of finding an approach that might be acceptable to all sides.
Last week, several organizations representing universities and other research institutions announced an effort to develop a “simple and easily explained model” of funding indirect costs that is “more efficient and transparent.” The Trump administration has doubled down on its proposal to charge a uniform 15% rate for NIH indirect costs, with the Department of Energy announcing Friday it would cap indirect cost payments at the same level, a proposal that is also being challenged in court.
“It’s clear that this is an issue that the administration would like to address, as we saw through the NIH notice. Having a thoughtful group putting a proposal together in advance for consideration by the government, is a potentially more thoughtful way to bring together the expertise needed for this complicated topic,” said Heather Pierce, senior director of science policy at the Association of American Medical Colleges, one of the groups involved with the effort. The ultimate goal, she added, is “ensuring that we have a predictable, sustainable research funding environment that allows us to move science forward.” She declined to elaborate on specific areas up for debate before the groups formally convened.
