President's Message: Why Do We Fall?

Robert L. Newton, Jr., PhD, FSBM - SBM President

Why do we fall? I’ve experienced times when I have been dealt a blow in my life. I’ve fallen. I believe my response to these situations has partially set the course for my life. Allow me to provide you with an example concerning the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM).

I was first introduced to SBM in 1996 through my graduate school mentor Dr. Michael Perri. For almost two decades my involvement was limited to attending the conference and presenting posters or giving talks. I had been a member of the Health Equity Special Interest Group (SIG) for years, but like many SBM members, I wasn’t particularly active. However, around 2014 I decided I wanted to become more active within the society so I joined the Health Equity SIG Planning Committee. After being on the committee for a year or two, I decided to run for SIG co-chair. I put my name in the hat. I was hopeful. The
candidates for co-chair were being discussed during a Planning Committee meeting. I distinctly remember someone asking, “Who is Robert?! What has he contributed to the Planning Committee?” That stung. Needless to say, I was not nominated to be the next co-chair of the Health Equity SIG. I was certainly disappointed, but I wasn’t going to give up. I had to decide how to respond. I decided that over the next year I would become more vocal, express my ideas, and contribute more to the SIG. The plan worked. The next year I was elected co-chair and my path to leadership within SBM began.

This year we have experienced an increased attack on science. This spring, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed cutting the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget by $5 billion for fiscal year 2027, plus ridding NIH of specific institutes including the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. This summer, OMB went further, releasing a proposal to establish political appointees as the final decision makers on every grant, allow grant cancellations for any reason, and ban funding for researching into topics like diversity, equity, and inclusion. In August, more NIH grants were canceled, including a University of Pittsburgh health disparities study that was planned for five years but terminated in year four. Seven million dollars and science lost because the study was no longer consistent with governmental priorities.

Also in August, NIH proposed fundamentally altering the way grants are scored. Rather than utilizing the numerical system we are accustomed to, NIH wishes to replace this with a three-tier system of most competitive, competitive, and not discussed. In addition, the actual impact scores for the grants would not be shared with the investigators, the university, nor NIH program staff. I believe that this will only decrease transparency and provide more leniency for political advisors to make funding decisions.

Our battle to keep scientific review by scientists at the forefront of grant funding wages on. SBM is actively addressing this issue. Our policy ambassadors and member-wide action alerts are letting Congress know how devastating these rule changes and budget cuts would be for science and healthcare. Our Advocacy Update newsletter keeps members informed and provides ways to take action. Our leadership joins forces with many other scientific organizations and coalitions, for power in numbers, including through sign-on letters. We submitted formal comments opposing the OMB grantmaking rule changes, and we are working with partner organization the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences on a formal response to the NIH scoring change request for information. SBM members can also provide NIH with comments on this proposal through October 13.

NIH changes to grant funding have knocked some of us down. Some have lost grant funding, some lines of research are threatened, and some may still lose funding. But we have to keep fighting for science.  

“Why do we fall? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.” And if you know which movie this quote was taken come from (without looking it up), let me know at next year’s Annual Meeting.