Notice Number: NOT-NS-16-024

Key Dates
Release Date: May 24, 2016
Response Date: June 24, 2016

Issued by
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institute on Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
National Library of Medicine (NLM)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)

Purpose

The Trans-National Institutes of Health (NIH) ME/CFS Working Group is developing new strategies to guide NIH's research efforts and priority setting for research on ME/CFS. Seeking input into the planning process through this Request for Information (RFI) is critical for identification and consideration of research areas and topics to be included in future efforts. The members of the Trans-NIH ME/CFS Working Group will review and consider the comments received under this RFI with regard to current and future needs and direction for ME/CFS research and research training.

Information Requested

Through the RFI, the Trans-NIH ME/CFS Working Group invites input from researchers, health care providers, patient advocates and health advocacy organizations, scientific or professional organizations, Federal agencies, and other interested parties. Organizations are strongly encouraged to submit a single response that reflects the views of their organization and membership as a whole.

Please provide your perspective on the following issues as they relate to the Working Group's planning efforts:

• Emerging needs and opportunities that should be considered as new ME/CFS research strategies are developed.
• Challenges or barriers to progress in research on ME/CFS.
• Gaps and opportunities across the research continuum from basic through clinical studies.

When commenting on a research need or scientific opportunity, The Working Group suggests that your comments contain the following for our full consideration:

• Description of the need or opportunity
• Scientific rationale and potential public health impact
• Anticipated challenges that will need to be addressed
• Appropriate benchmarks for evaluating progress.
• For this RFI, the NIBIB is interested in the ideas for the development of new imaging and bioengineering technologies that could have the potential for a significant impact on ME/CFS research.

The Trans-NIH ME/CFS Working Group also welcomes your general comments.

Responses

Responses to this RFI must be submitted via email at MECFSRFI@mail.nih.gov

Responses will be accepted through June 24, 2016.

Responses are voluntary and may be submitted anonymously. Respondents are advised that the Government in under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. Please do not include any personally identifiable or other information that you do not wish to make public. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response.

This request is for information and planning purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the United States Government. The Trans-NIH ME/CFS Working Group will not make any awards based on responses to this RFI or pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for the Government's use of such information.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Vicky Whittemore, PhD
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Telephone: 301-496-1917
Email: vicky.whittemore@nih.gov