The Department of Defense’s (DoD) Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) has determined the grant applications that it wishes to award in fiscal year 2021 (FY21). In this first year that applications were accepted for research in peripheral neuropathy, 41 applications out of over 1000 applications received focused on peripheral neuropathy. DoD is recommending awarding a grant for seven of these applications, for a total amount of $8 million in funding! DoD will announce the details of the winning neuropathy research awards in the coming weeks.
Success From Community Action
This $8 million in research funding would not have been possible without the advocacy efforts of the PN community. In 2020, the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy put out a call to action to our constituents and our partners, asking our community to submit requests to their Senators to include PN as an eligible condition in the PRMRP. And the community responded. Individuals, families, patient advocacy, support groups, and researchers contacted their Senators by letter, mail and phone.
Through the actions of many who brought the importance of funding PN research to light, we saw a great return on our efforts and financial investment. The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy, supported by its dedicated donors, expended $85,000 in advocate and other costs (and many people’s good effort) to bring about $8 million in funding. For those of us who like to look at return vs. effort, we are pleased with these results. We look forward to continuation of the program in coming years.
Researchers Apply for Neuropathy Research Awards
We also applaud our researchers who submitted compelling applications to this highly competitive program. We offer our congratulations to the successful applicants. The PRMRP typically award grants to roughly 15 percent of the applications it receives.
Thanks to Consumer Review Committee Volunteers!
FPN was able to recommend volunteers to participate in the Consumer Review Committee. We thank the patient volunteers who took their time to serve on the committee. The volunteers reviewed and recommend programs that they felt would be helpful to the PN patient population.
What’s Next
Stay tuned for more details on the funded projects. We will also share how you can help FPN in its mission to advocate for more funding for peripheral neuropathy research.
We look forward to continued growth and success of the PRMRP and to expansion in the peripheral neuropathy research awards.
Learn more about FPN’s efforts for Peripheral Neuropathy Research Awards
For more information on the Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program, please read here.
For more information about FPN’s advocacy efforts for peripheral neuropathy research, please read here.
To help support our advocacy efforts to attract more research dollars for peripheral neuropathy, please donate here.