It can be disheartening to wait months for your NIH grant proposal to be reviewed, only to find out that it has been designated as Not Discussed. This designation has also historically been referred to as "unscored" or "bottom-halved". A more detailed description is provided on the NIH Peer Review site.
What does it mean when my grant proposal is not discussed?
There can be many reasons why a proposal is not discussed. In many cases, there are significant weaknesses in the proposal which may or may not be easy to address.
What should I do with a proposal that has not been discussed?
It is a good idea to contact the assigned NIH program officer, who may have additional insights and guidance. In some cases, it can be advantageous for proposals that are not scored to be significantly revamped and submitted as new, rather than as resubmission proposals. The rationale for this is that you will be able to make significant changes and address reviewer concerns without having to show the reviewers that you were not scored the first time. However, there may be circumstances in which a resubmission is strategically beneficial, even for a proposal that was Not Discussed. The NIH program staff will likely be able to provide insights that will help you to make this decision.
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