HDRP Newsletter, August 2026

HDRP Events: Forthcoming & Recap

As 2026 events are scheduled, they will be posted to our News & Events page.

A catalog of HDRP-led webinars and workshops since our last newsletter are listed below. To view post-meeting materials, visit the HDRP website and relevant event links.

Archives for past sessions are available upon request. Please contact us at NCIHDRP@mail.nih.gov with the date and title of any session of interest to be furnished with a link to the recording.

SEER-MHOS Webinar Series

NCI supports a research resource linking Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) cancer registry data with Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS) data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. SEER-MHOS offers investigators the opportunity to examine cancer health outcomes, such as health-related quality of life and activities of daily living, along with clinical and epidemiological information.

Forthcoming

• On October 27, 2026, HDRP will host webinar 3 of the 2026 SEER-MHOS Series entitled, From Proposal to Publication: Researcher Experiences Using SEER-MHOS. Stay tuned for more!

Recap

• On August 25, 2026, HDRP hosted webinar 2 of the 2026 SEER-MHOS Series entitled, Leveraging Medicare Encounters Data to Better Understand Comorbidities in SEER-MHOS. Multimorbidity is a significant issue among older adults with cancer, with approximately one-third having more than three chronic conditions (comorbidities). Understanding these comorbidities is critical to cancer research due to their impact on cancer treatment, care, and quality of life. This webinar (1) demonstrated use of self-report and claims comorbidity measures using SEER-MHOS, (2) compared the comorbidity measures derived from self-reported HOS survey responses with those identified from Medicare Advantage encounters and Part D claims data, (3) characterized agreement between these approaches across conditions, and (4) examined individual -level factors associated with agreement and areas of potential bias. Guidance on selecting the most appropriate methods for research questions was discussed.


• On May 12, 2026, HDRP hosted webinar 1 of the 2026 SEER-MHOS Series entitled, Telehealth Use in Cancer Survivorship: Insights from SEER-MHOS. This webinar focused on the recently linked Medicare Advantage encounter data available within the SEER-MHOS data resource to examine telehealth use by cancer survivors. We described how investigators can leverage Medicare encounter data for their own research, highlighting fit-for-purpose analytic approaches and important methodological challenges. Attendees learned how to identify telehealth encounters within Medicare Advantage encounter data, including important coding considerations, and explored the conditions and diagnoses commonly associated with telehealth visits in this population. We also addressed how HRQOL varies by telehealth use among survivors.

Healthcare Teams (HCT) Cyber Discussion Series

The goal of the HCT initiative is to advance a program of research supporting the development and implementation of evidence-based strategies that improve healthcare team functioning, care coordination, and cancer-related outcomes. The 2026 HCT Series focused on Advancing Team-based Care for Adolescents & Young Adults (AYA) Impacted by Cancer. This two-part webinar features research examining multidisciplinary, interprofessional team-based care delivery models and related interventions addressing care coordination and quality of care for adolescents and young adults that have faced a cancer diagnosis.

Forthcoming

• Stay tuned for more information on session 2 of the 2026 HCT Series which will focus on advancing team-based care in primary care for adolescents and young adults (date TBD).

Recap

• On May 18, 2026, HDRP hosted session 1 of the 2026 HCT Series entitled, Advancing team-based care in oncology and related settings for adolescents and young adults impacted by cancer. Participants learned about (1) the development, evaluation, and application of team-based care models, (2) strategies enhancing communication and care decisions, (3) approaches to advance receipt of recommended care, (4) improving clinical and patient-centered outcomes, and (5) research gaps and future directions in AYA cancer care.

Advancing Cancer Care Research in Medicare Advantage: Examining the Issues, Data, Measures, and Methods Series

Dramatic increases in Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment over the past decade have heightened the need to examine cancer-related care quality and access within the MA program. This webinar series is designed to provide researchers with state-of-the-art information regarding (1) available data to capture the structures of MA plans and care delivery in MA; (2) challenges and best practices to using these data; and (3) analytic approaches used to study how MA enrollment affects cancer-related care.

Recap

• On May 14, 2026, HDRP hosted a webinar entitled, Early evidence on use, quality and cost of cancer treatment in Medicare Advantage Plans. This webinar discussed the emerging evidence comparing cancer treatment, quality, and costs across Medicare Advantage and Traditional (fee-for-service) Medicare. Participants gained insight into: (1) the potential impact of MA enrollment on receipt of high-cost cancer treatments, (2) differences in cancer treatment, quality and cost between Medicare beneficiaries using Traditional Medicare and MA, and (3) key research gaps and next steps.

Data & Other Resources

HDRP supports the development and maintenance of a variety of research data and tools. These resources can be used to address research questions about healthcare delivery and patient outcomes at various points across the cancer control continuum. To learn more about the data resources supported by HDRP, visit our Data and Tools page.

Here are a few recent updates to keep in mind:

• Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) Experiences with Cancer Survivorship data release
  The 2024 Full Year Consolidated Data File for the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) is slated to be released by the end of August. These data will include the next iteration of the Experiences with Cancer Survivorship Supplement, a valuable survey for understanding the burden of cancer and its treatment in the United States.


• New SEER-MHOS Application System
  SEER-MHOS links NCI’s SEER cancer registry data with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS), allowing researchers to examine the health-related quality of life, activities of daily living, and other health outcomes of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries before and after a cancer diagnosis. SEER-MHOS has a new application system. Starting this month, all new SEER-MHOS data requests are required to be submitted using our new online system. This system will track data requests and allow for direct communication with the SEER-MHOS team. This new process aligns with current SEER-CAHPS and SEER-Medicaid application procedures.

Policy Updates

Grants-related Information

Grant-related policies continue to evolve in 2026. You can find notices of NIH policy changes here. Below are links to notices that may be most useful to you:

• NOT-CA-26-009 - Notice of National Cancer Institute’s Participation in PA-25-305, NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Required)
• NOT-CA-26-003 - Notice of NCI's Participation in PA-25-302, NIH Small Research Grant Program (Parent R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• NOT-OD-26-069 - Continuation of Modifications to Peer Review Practices
• NOT-OD-26-026 - NIH Requires Use of the eRA Prior Approval Module for the Submission of ALL Prior Approval Requests
• NOT-OD-26-019 - Updated Application Policies: NIH Administrative Burden Reduction Effort Removal of Requirements for Letters of Intent and Unsolicited Applications Requesting $500,000 or More in Direct Costs

Grantsmanship Resources

HDRP offers a one-stop-shop of relevant links to help investigators learn more about NIH and NCI policies related to writing and submitting new, resubmission, and renewal grant applications. Visit the Grantsmanship Resources page here. Please contact your Program Director if you have any questions.

The NIH Grants and Funding site has been redesigned to address the needs of the extramural community. Visit the Grants & Funding website.

Funding Opportunities

The Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences funds a large portfolio of grants and contracts. Here we provide a listing of funding opportunities that are currently accepting applications.

For information on funding opportunities for healthcare delivery research, visit the main DCCPS grants page and filter on “Healthcare Delivery Research.”

Below is a selection of funding opportunities to support healthcare delivery research.

2026 NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs)
Visit this page for information on NCORP grant details and FAQs for the following opportunities closing on September 18, 2026:

• NCORP Research Bases (UG1 Clinical Trial Required), RFA-CA-27-006
• NCORP Community Sites (UG1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed), RFA-CA-27-007
• NCORP Academic Community Sites (UG1 Clinical Trials Not Allowed), RFA-CA-27-008

Advanced Development of Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional), RFA-CA-27-020. Closes October 20, 2026.

Sustained Support for Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional), RFA-CA-27-021. Closes October 20, 2026.

Early-Stage Development of Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U01 Clinical Trial Optional), RFA-CA-27-019. Closes October 27, 2026.

The NIH Common Fund is pleased to announce available funding opportunities for its new Precision Medicine with AI: Integrating Imaging with Multimodal (PRIMED-AI) program. The PRIMED-AI program seeks to develop innovative, reliable, and cost-effective AI-based tools that integrate clinical imaging with other health data types to enhance personalized medicine for patients with chronic and other health conditions. PRIMED-AI will be a uniquely synergistic, catalytic, cross‐cutting way of transforming the delivery of precision medicine through the emerging medical AI landscape.

Learn more about the 5 funding opportunities listed below by visiting this link:

1. The Validation Center opportunity
2. The Logistics Center opportunity
3. The Development and Testing of a Multi-use Frameworks Playbook opportunity
4. The Data-to-Model: An Academic-Industrial Partnership (D2M-AIP) opportunity
5. The Model-to-Clinic (M2C) opportunity

Answers to frequently asked questions and informational webinars can be found on the PRIMED-AI website.

Sign up for the PRIMED-AI listserv to stay up to date on future announcements.

NIH Highlighted Topics

Consider NIH’s centralized list of highlighted topics for your next grant application. These topics represent selected research priority areas within one or more of NIH Institutes, Centers, or Offices that may or may not have dedicated funding. Highlighted topics describe timely, new, and/or emerging research priority areas for applicants and researchers to consider. You may apply for these topics in several ways including through a NIH parent funding announcement and other opportunities on Grants.gov.

NIH continues to release highlighted topics for investigator-initiated grant application. Below are select highlighted topics that are relevant to healthcare delivery research.

• Optimal Interprofessional Teaming and Care Coordination Strategies for Cancer Care Quality and Outcomes, led by Drs. Sallie Weaver and Veronica Chollette (retired).
• Research on the Transition from Pediatric to Adult Health Care, led by Dr. Lynn Adams
• Research on Chatbots and their Usage, led by Dr. Roxanne Jensen
• Improving Diagnostic Safety and Quality in Healthcare, led by Dr. Gurvaneet Randhawa

For a comprehensive list of topics, including updates on newly published topics and topics relevant to HDRP, continue to visit the NIH highlighted topics website.

For information on applying and next steps, read the resource entitled, So, I’m Interested in a Highlighted Topic…What Do I Do Now?

For the most up-to-date list of NOFOs in cancer control, visit the DCCPS funding webpage.

NIH News You Can Use!

This section of the HDRP newsletter highlights resources from the NIH Office of Extramural Research’s Extramural Nexus. It is the extramural scientific research community’s source for news on grants policies, processes, and more.

See below for some news that may be relevant to you!

Grants & Funding

• Quickly Learn about NIH Grants and Funding through the New NIH Innovates Social Channels
• Can I Retain Early-Stage Investigator Status if an NIH Award is Transferred to Me?
• Plan Ahead with the NIH Grants and Funding Outreach Calendar
• Check Out the Latest How to Apply – Application Guide
• How Can I Find Funding Opportunities Now That They Are Not in the NIH Guide?
• Implementing a Unified NIH Funding Strategy to Guide Consistent and Clearer Award Decisions

Clinical Trials

• What Study Information Should Be Included on a ClinicalTrials.gov Entry?
• Planning an NIH Application involving Basic Experimental Studies with Humans (BESH)?

Highlighted Topics

• So, I’m Interested in a Highlighted Topic…What Do I Do Now?

International Projects & Foreign Components

• New Video Overview for NIH’s Collaborative International Research Projects (PF5)
• Acknowledging Foreign Components throughout NIH Application and Award Processes

Data Management, Reproducibility, Research Integrity

• 2026 Pilot Data Management and Sharing Plan Format Available
• NIH Launches New Central Resource to Support Replication and Reproducibility
• How Would You Measure and Reward Scientific Impact and Replicable Research Practices?
• Helpful Reminders to Ensure Integrity of NIH-Supported Research When Using Artificial Intelligence

NIH Common Forms

• What Should I Know About the Current and Pending (Other) Support (CPOS) Common Form?
• What Should I Know About the New Biographical Sketch Common Form?

To subscribe to the blog, visit the NIH Extramural Nexus homepage.

NIH Wants to Hear from Our Research Community!

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) regularly issues Requests for Information (RFIs) via the NIH website to gather public input from stakeholders, researchers, and the public on major policy shifts, strategic planning, and peer review.

We are highlighting two recently announced RFIs. The first seeks input on proposed changes to reporting outcomes from NIH peer review. The second seeks input on potential funding approaches for supporting clinical trials led by recipients of mentored K awards. We invite you to review the RFIs and submit comments.

NOT-OD-26-088
Request for Information (RFI) on Proposed Changes to Reporting Outcomes from NIH Peer Review

To ensure consideration, comments must be submitted electronically to https://rfi.grants.nih.gov/?s=6a2b1c22c3fcfda46e0badd2 by October 13, 2026.

Questions? Contact peerreview@nih.gov.

NOT-OD-26-095
Request for Information (RFI): Input On Potential NIH Funding Approaches to Support the Development of Future Clinical Trial Investigators

To ensure consideration, comments must be submitted electronically to https://rfi.grants.nih.gov/?s=6a57b31c69fc50193d0eb712 by September 30, 2026.

Questions? Contact oer@od.nih.gov.

NIH Releases Draft Policy on Sharing Summary Level Study Results with Clinical Research Participants for Public Comment

Research participants are at the heart of the NIH mission to transform discovery into health. By volunteering to take part in research, participants are key partners in the success of the biomedical research enterprise by helping to advance scientific understanding, improve treatments, and shape a healthier future for everyone.

To uphold our commitment to our partners in research, NIH is announcing a new policy proposal to ensure research participants receive the results of the studies they participate in.

All are encouraged to comment on NIH’s Draft Policy for Sharing Summary Level Study Results with Clinical Research Participants. Comments on the Draft Policy will be accepted until October 26, 2026, and must be submitted through the online comment form found at: https://osp.od.nih.gov/comment-form-draft-sharing-summary-results-policy/.

Additional information on NIH’s approach to the sharing of summary level and individual level study results with clinical research participants can also be found on the OSP website.

Questions may be sent to SciencePolicy@od.nih.gov.

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