By Peter J. O’Dwyer, MD (left)
and Mitchell D. Schnall, MD, PhD

Multiple simultaneous actions in the last couple of weeks will influence our research going forward. First, a piece of good news: the Request for Application (RFA) for the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) grant has been issued, and the due date is September 18, 2026. The RFA of course is the document that contains the specifics of the cooperative agreement for which we are applying, and fortunately the scientific objectives are consistent with those of past years. Since we have been expecting this for over a year, our preparations are well advanced, and the application text will be finalized over the summer.

Also in the good news category, we received notification about six weeks ago that the government will be moving forward with funding the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) grants, although some details remain to be ironed out. These elements are primarily structural with respect to our foundations, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has indicated willingness to combine both short- and longer-term adjustments to permit award of the grant. We have been assured that the Notice of Award will be forthcoming within the next two weeks.

As a part of the new award, some changes to the funding structures and the associated agreements will need to be implemented right away. The purpose of these changes has not been shared, but many focus on standardizing governance of the various organizations that participate in our trial ecosystem (committee membership and leadership, etc.). We will communicate separately with our principal investigators regarding the technical aspects of these agreements, in the hope of smoothing their passage at your institutions.

In other developments, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has released a proposed rule to govern how federal agencies (NIH, the National Cancer Institute, the Food and Drug Administration among them) evaluate, fund, and even terminate research grants, including those for ongoing clinical trials. The proposed rule introduces three categories of significant change: routine political involvement in review and funding decisions rather than its current use as an exception; limitations on international collaboration; and greatly increased administrative burden for all research institutions, including ECOG-ACRIN. Cancer research societies including the American Association of Cancer Research, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the American Society of Hematology, as well as the American Cancer Society, cancer advocacy groups, and multiple universities and cancer centers have expressed deep concern that these proposals will stifle research (including putting clinical trials at risk), limit innovation, and compromise the global prominence of United States leadership in this arena. The OMB announcement invites comment from affected individuals until July 13.

Simultaneously, the Department of Health and Human Services this week announced a coordinated department-wide effort to strengthen America’s leadership in clinical research, accelerate the development of lifesaving treatments, and ensure that patients have access to the most innovative therapies in the world. While the objectives of this initiative are clearly aligned with the mission of the cooperative groups, the coexistence of these policy directions underscores a degree of uncertainty in the broader research environment and highlights the importance of continued engagement by the clinical research community.

Taken together, these developments present both opportunities and challenges for our research enterprise. The continued support for NCORP and NCTN activities is encouraging, and we are well positioned to move forward with our scientific agenda. At the same time, the evolving policy landscape will require careful monitoring and, where appropriate, active input from the research community. We will continue to keep you informed as additional details emerge and to advocate for policies that support the conduct of high-quality, impactful clinical research.

Read the June 2026 issue here.