HEAL Initiative Whole Joint Health Program

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), intends to release a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the HEAL Initiative Whole Joint Health Program. This program is a component of the broader NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative, which seeks to develop safe, effective, and non-addictive strategies for pain management. This funding opportunity supports the Make America Healthy Again vision by focusing on chronic pain interventions that are prevention-oriented and accessible, aiming to reduce reliance on opioids and promote long-term healing outcomes. Chronic joint pain affects nearly half of the adult population in the United States. Conventional treatments often focus on individual joint components such as bone or cartilage, neglecting the complex interplay between multiple tissues that form the joint structure. The HEAL Initiative Whole Joint Health Program responds to findings from the 2023 Whole Joint Pain Workshop, emphasizing the need to investigate multisystem biological mechanisms. Recent advancements in imaging, tissue-specific omics, digital health tools, and biomechanics now make it feasible to study the joint as a fully integrated system, including periarticular tissues such as ligaments, tendons, fascia, muscle, and adipose tissue. This phased research program spans a maximum of five years and consists of two distinct phases. In Phase 1 (two to three years), researchers will identify and validate multi-tissue and multisystem mechanisms that contribute to joint pain and dysfunction. Investigations are expected to consider the interactions between articular tissues and other peripheral components. Multimodal data collection approaches, including imaging, neuromuscular assessment, biomarker analysis, and behavioral evaluations, are encouraged to support robust and reproducible results. In Phase 2 (two to three years), successful projects will transition into intervention studies that test non-pharmacological or multimodal treatments. These could include physical therapy, mind-body strategies, biomechanical interventions, or integrated care models aimed at restoring joint function and alleviating chronic pain. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and inclusive. The program is open to a wide variety of applicant types, including special district governments, local and state governments, tribal governments (both federally recognized and other tribal organizations), nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, public housing authorities, small businesses, for-profit organizations, regional organizations, and even foreign components, as defined by NIH policy. Federal agencies and U.S. territories are also eligible, making this a nationally inclusive research initiative. This wide eligibility reflects the initiative’s aim to foster collaborative, interdisciplinary research that bridges basic science, clinical research, and real-world application. The opportunity is expected to be posted on May 31, 2026, with applications due by October 7, 2026. Funding decisions will be announced around July 20, 2027, and funded projects are expected to begin by July 27, 2027. While no cost sharing or match is required, projects must adhere to NIH’s rigorous standards for reproducibility and transparency. Contact for the program is the NCCIH Program Officer, available via email at [email protected]. The HEAL Initiative Whole Joint Health Program represents a significant step toward advancing non-addictive, whole-person approaches to managing chronic joint pain. By integrating mechanistic research with practical interventions and encouraging multidisciplinary collaboration, the NIH aims to generate a foundation of evidence that can support national efforts to reduce the burden of chronic pain and opioid dependence.