PHARA Act of 2025

This bill aims to keep NIH-funded research moving without surprise stops. It tells the National Institutes of Health to immediately release promised grant money, pay any pending reimbursements as fast as possible, and not cancel agreements if the research is active and ongoing.

For new NIH grants and cooperative agreements, it requires clear termination rules. An agreement could end only for a serious violation of the terms, a major change in circumstances, or if everyone agrees. The party ending it must give at least 90 days’ written notice and first try to fix the agreement. NIH also could not end new agreements just because a project no longer fits agency priorities; NIH must update its rules to reflect this limit.

Key points:

• Who is affected: Researchers, universities, hospitals, and labs with NIH grants or cooperative agreements.
• What changes: NIH must release grant funds and pay reimbursements quickly; cannot cancel active research; new agreements need fair, limited end conditions and 90 days’ notice; cannot end new agreements just for shifting priorities; NIH must align its regulations with these rules.
• When: These requirements apply after the bill becomes law; the termination limits apply to agreements entered after that date.