NIH HEAL Initiative Plans New Funding Opportunities for Sickle Cell Disease Pain Research The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Helping to End Addiction Long-termSM (HEAL) Initiative will publish two Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) soliciting applications focused on sickle cell disease (SCD) pain management. This effort is co-led by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), with support from otherNIH Institutes, Centers and Offices. Separate Notices of Intent to Publish (NOITPs) have been released for each FOA to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. NOT-AT-21-017: NOITP a Funding Opportunity Announcement for HEAL Initiative: Sickle Cell Disease Pain Management Trials Utilizing the Pain Effectiveness Research Network Cooperative Agreement (UG3/UH3, Clinical Trials Required) Purpose:To support multisite effectiveness clinical trials of multicomponent nonopioid pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches for acute and/or chronic SCD pain management. Overall Goal:To inform clinicians about the effectiveness of coordinated, multidisciplinary management strategies that reduce acute and/or chronic SCD pain and continue to provide access to opioid pain management when needed. Clinical trials will be conducted as part of the HEAL Initiative Pain Management Effectiveness Research Network, which has dedicated pain and clinical trial design expertise and was established through the infrastructure of the National Center for Advancing Translation Sciences Trial Innovation Network (www.trialinnovationnetwork.org). NOT-AT-21-018: NOITP a Funding Opportunity Announcement for HEAL Initiative: Pragmatic and Implementation Studies for the Management of Sickle Cell Disease Pain (UG3/UH3, Clinical Trials Optional) Purpose:To support multisite pragmatic or implementation trials to inform the uptake of nonopioid pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches for acute and chronic SCD pain management in health care systems that serve the SCD population. Overall Goal: To support the real world assessment of pain management interventions and health care strategies to enhance adherence to pain management guidelines in health care systems and improve SCD pain management, allowing access to opioid pain management when needed. Clinical trials will be conducted within partnering health care systems identified by the applicants. Trials will work with the Resource Coordinating Center for the HEAL Initiative Pragmatic and Implementation Studies for the Management of Pain to Reduce Opioid Prescribing (PRISM) program, which has dedicated pain, implementation science, and pragmatic clinical trial design expertise (heal.nih.gov/research/clinical-research/prism). Supported trials should address the impact of interventions on psychological and functional outcomes that support improved overall well-being and quality of life. In addition, studies that address stigma, structural health care system, and social factors that may hinder quality comprehensive pain care for patients with SCD are also of interest. These FOAs are expected to be published in early fall 2021, with an expected application due date in late fall 2021. Both FOAs will utilize the UG3/UH3 activity code. If you have questions or would like to discuss your specific aims, please contact Dr. Della White at Della.White@nih.gov. | 