AACN Signs on to Legal Challenge to New NIH Funding Guidance

Earlier today, AACN signed on as a plaintiff in support of a lawsuit filed by the Association of American Medical Colleges, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, Association for Schools and Programs of Public Health, and other parties challenging the new NIH guidance regarding the reimbursement of F&A costs. Filed on February 10, the lawsuit calls for injunctive relief barring the implementation and enforcement of the NIH’s Rate Change Notice (NOT-OD-25-068). In response, the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order to preserve the status quo and halt implementation of the new guidance. AACN will continue to monitor this court action and update members as new information becomes available.

A similar legal challenge was filed yesterday by the American Council on Education, the Association of American Universities, and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, which underscored the importance of sustaining NIH-funded research at colleges and universities nationwide, which is critical to keeping the American public safe.

AACN is working on a survey to collect information from member schools on the impact the NIH F&A changes would have on your schools and research initiatives. Collecting this information is critical to supporting AACN’s work to advocate on behalf of your programs. Watch for the survey within the next few days. Please direct any questions to web@aacnnursing.org.