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A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. < Prev Next > Strategies to Enhance NIH-Funded Pediatric Research Optimizing Child Health National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Center for Health, People, and Places; Committee on Strategies to Enhance Pediatric Health Research Funded by NIH ; Editors: Udara Perera , Alexis Wojtowicz , Frederick Rivara , and Phyllis Dennery . Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US) ; 2026 Apr 30 . ISBN-13: 978-0-309-60285-3 ISBN-10: 0-309-60285-8 Copyright and Permissions Copyright 2026 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. For more information, see the Bookshelf Copyright Notice . Hardcopy Version at National Academies Press Search term Recent advances in pediatric health, such as declines in child mortality, would never have happened without significant and consistent federal investment - supported by Congress and led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Despite these advances, there is broad consensus among experts that child health is in crisis as children in the United States are experiencing rising rates of chronic diseases and poor mental, emotional, and behavioral health. NIH tasked the National Academies with convening a committee to examine NIH’s pediatric research portfolio and structure and to provide recommendations focused on improving NIH’s overall support of pediatric health research. The resulting report provides evidence and eight recommendations to guide NIH’s integration of a pediatric and life-course focus throughout its research and funding priorities. Contents Expand All Collapse All The National Academies of SCIENCES • ENGINEERING • MEDICINE COMMITTEE ON STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE PEDIATRIC HEALTH RESEARCH FUNDED BY NIH Reviewers Acknowledgments Preface Acronyms and Abbreviations Summary STUDY TASK AND APPROACH PEDIATRIC HEALTH RESEARCH AT NIH: PAST AND PRESENT THE CURRENT CRISIS IN CHILD HEALTH THE CURRENT PEDIATRIC RESEARCH PORTFOLIO AT NIH PEDIATRIC RESEARCH AT THE NIH CC PEDIATRIC RESEARCH PRIORITIZATION AND INCLUSION FACILITATORS OF SUCCESSFUL INTER-IC INITIATIVES CHALLENGES TO CONDUCTING PEDIATRIC HEALTH RESEARCH A VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF PEDIATRIC HEALTH RESEARCH AND CHILD HEALTH 1. Introduction STUDY BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT PROJECT ORIGIN AND STATEMENT OF TASK SIGNIFICANCE OF PEDIATRIC HEALTH RESEARCH STUDY APPROACH TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT REFERENCES 2. Background: History, Funding Landscape, and NIH Structure HISTORY OF NIH-SUPPORTED PEDIATRIC RESEARCH FEDERAL LAWS AND POLICIES SUPPORTING AND PROTECTING CHILDREN IN HEALTH RESEARCH: A BRIEF HISTORY THE ORGANIZATION OF NIH AND ITS CAPACITY AND SUPPORT FOR PEDIATRIC HEALTH RESEARCH THE BROADER LANDSCAPE: OTHER PEDIATRIC RESEARCH FUNDERS REFERENCES 3. Current NIH Pediatric Research Portfolio DELINEATING PEDIATRIC RESEARCH AT NIH NIH DATA SYSTEMS FOR MONITORING PEDIATRIC RESEARCH SUPPORT GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE RCDC PEDIATRIC SPENDING CATEGORY DATA ON PEDIATRIC RESEARCH FUNDING BY NIH CURRENT PEDIATRIC RESEARCH AT THE CLINICAL CENTER REFERENCES 4. Prioritization, Coordination, and Integration of Pediatric Research Within and Across NIH Institutes and Centers HOW INSTITUTES AND CENTERS PRIORITIZE PEDIATRIC RESEARCH THE NIH PEDIATRIC RESEARCH CONSORTIUM INTER-IC INITIATIVES: SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES REFERENCES 5. Supporting Pediatric Research and Addressing Challenges ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPEDIMENTS SCIENTIFIC CHALLENGES TO CONDUCTING PEDIATRIC RESEARCH METHODOLOGIC BARRIERS TO CONDUCTING PEDIATRIC RESEARCH STRUCTURAL AND PROCEDURAL CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FINANCIAL BARRIERS FACED BY PEDIATRIC HEALTH RESEARCHERS THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING IN PEDIATRIC RESEARCH REFERENCES 6. Implementing the Committee’s Vision for the Future of Pediatric Health Research at NIH GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NIH-SUPPORTED PEDIATRIC RESEARCH A CODA REFERENCES Appendix A. Biographical Sketches of Committee Members Appendix B. Public Meeting Agendas Appendix C. Calls for Perspectives Questions Appendix D. History of Pediatric Health and NIH Structure and Organization Appendix E. Principal Investigator Department Classifications Appendix F. NIH Pediatric Research Consortium Agenda Items Appendix G. Pediatric Representation on Scientific Review Expand All Collapse All This activity was supported by a contract between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Institutes of Health, contract order HHSN263201800029I, task order 75N98024F00007. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project. Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. Strategies to Enhance NIH-Funded Pediatric Research: Optimizing Child Health . Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/29346 . Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/29346 This publication is available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; https://nap.nationalacademies.org . The manufacturer’s authorized representative in the European Union for product safety is Authorised Rep Compliance Ltd., Ground Floor, 71 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin D02 P593 Ireland; www.arccompliance.com . Printed in the United States of America. Created: January 28, 2026; Last Update: April 30, 2026. Copyright 2026 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Bookshelf ID: NBK620562 PMID: 41610261 DOI: 10.17226/29346 < Prev Next > Share Views PubReader Print View Cite this Page National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Center for Health, People, and Places; Committee on Strategies to Enhance Pediatric Health Research Funded by NIH; Perera U, Wojtowicz A, Rivara F, et al., editors. Strategies to Enhance NIH-Funded Pediatric Research: Optimizing Child Health. 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