National Institutes of Health Failed to Make Sure Clinical Trial Results Were Reported: Watchdog

Acting Director of National Institutes of Health Lawrence Tabak testifies during a hearing before the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies of House Appropriations Committee at Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill May 11, 2022. Alex Wong/Getty Images

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) violated a policy that requires the agency to make sure results from trials it funds are published, and didn’t impose consequences on parties that broke federal law governing the reporting, a watchdog has found.

Out of 72 NIH-funded studies in 2019 and 2020—half of which were conducted by NIH scientists—results from just 35 were submitted to the agency on time, according to a 14-page report (pdf) from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.