July 13, 2026: In response to the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) request for public comments, NCHR urged the OMB to withdraw its proposed federal financial assistance rule, warning that it would politicize grant decisions; undermine scientific merit, peer review, research accomplishments, medical care, and public health; and threaten patient care, public trust, and evidence-based policymaking.
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NCHR Written Comment to FDA on the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) Pilot Program
June 29, 2026: In response to the FDA’s request for public comments, NCHR urged the FDA to discontinue or substantially revise the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher Pilot Program because it is duplicative of existing expedited review pathways and includes inappropriate selection criteria. NCHR emphasized that the program raises serious concerns about bias, political influence, scientific rigor, and transparency; and that the FDA lacks the staff and resources to adequately support CNVP and other programs that require evidence of safety, effectiveness, and sound science.
Read More »NCHR Written Comment to NIH on Post-Trial Needs and Informed Consent for Research Participants Receiving Investigational Implantable Devices
May 22, 2026, NCHR submitted comments to NIH on their draft of resources needed for investigational implantable device trials, emphasizing the need for better planning to make sure that patients understand the medical and financial risks of having an experimental implant that may be found to be neither safe nor effective. Patients volunteering for clinical trials of implanted devices deserve to know the risks and be protected from long-term device-related risks and medical care.
Read More »NCHR Written Comment to FDA on the Plausible Mechanism Framework for Developing Individualized Therapies for Genetic Conditions
April 27, 2026: NCHR raises concerns about the FDA’s proposed plausible mechanism framework for therapies targeting rare and genetic diseases, warning that reliance on such very limited evidence makes it difficult or impossible to make informed choices based on safety and effectiveness, and means even more very high costing unproven drugs, which patients will pay for directly or through health insurance.
Read More »NCHR Written Comment on why the Department of Education’s Proposal to Reduce Graduate Student Loans for Nurses and Therapists would worsen shortages in access to health care
March 2, 2026: In response to a request for written comments, NCHR warned the U.S. Department of Education warning that its proposed graduate student loan limits would worsen the shortages of nurses, clinical psychologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and clinical social workers. Higher loan levels are needed to reverse national workforce shortages and provide essential healthcare, especially in rural, underserved, and less populated areas of the U.S.
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