Accelerating the Pace of Substance Use Research Using Existing Data (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has announced the funding opportunity "Accelerating the Pace of Substance Use Research Using Existing Data (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)." This initiative is a reissue of RFA-DA-24-037 and is aligned with NIDA’s mission to support basic, clinical, translational, and implementation research focused on drug use, misuse, and addiction. NIDA is particularly interested in maximizing the utility of previously collected datasets to explore the etiology and epidemiology of substance use behaviors and related disorders, prevention strategies, and treatment service delivery, including those associated with HIV. This grant seeks innovative research projects utilizing existing data—such as social science, behavioral, administrative, or neuroimaging datasets—to address pressing questions in substance use and HIV. It specifically encourages use of data sources like the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH), and datasets archived by the National Addiction & HIV Data Archive Program (NAHDAP). No primary data collection is permitted; all proposed studies must be based on previously gathered data, with researchers required to clearly distinguish their work from that of the original data collection efforts. The funding mechanism used is the R21 Exploratory/Developmental Grant, allowing for projects with high potential and innovation but that may involve risk. The total project budget is capped at $275,000 in direct costs over two years, with a maximum of $200,000 allowed in any single year. NIDA expects to allocate up to $4 million total in FY 2026, with two to four awards specifically reserved for HIV-focused research. Applications that propose to collect new data or conduct analyses not distinct from previously funded work using the same dataset will not be considered. Eligible applicants include a broad array of U.S. and international institutions: higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, government entities at all levels, tribal organizations, and foreign institutions. All organizations must have the necessary registrations, including SAM.gov, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov, and applicants must comply with the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy. Applications must be submitted electronically, and all standard NIH application procedures apply. Applicants must submit their proposals by either July 17 or December 3, depending on the cycle, with recurring deadlines until December 2027. A letter of intent is requested 30 days before the application deadline. Applications will undergo NIH peer review, with evaluations based on scientific significance, innovation, rigor, feasibility, and the qualifications of the research team. Awards are anticipated approximately four to six months after submission deadlines. Successful applications should provide plans for analysis pre-registration and consider potential spurious findings when using large datasets. Projects must emphasize real-world impact, particularly in prevention, treatment, or policy guidance.

Emphasize rigor in design and reproducibility; distinguish proposed research from existing data uses; use innovative methods like AI or simulation; address risk of spurious results in large datasets; align with NIDA HIV priorities if relevant