National Institutes of Health · United States

A Holistic Approach to Study Non-Addictive Natural Products for Pain Management

Forecast — expected to open 2 Feb 2027

This is a forecast: the funder has announced the opportunity but it is not open yet; posting is expected around 2 Feb 2027 and the estimated deadline is 25 May 2027. Eligible applicant types include county governments, others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification), for profit organizations other than small businesses and 12 more.

Deadline: Estimated 25 May 2027 (not yet confirmed)
Opens: 2 Feb 2027
Grant amount: Not stated — see the official call
Funding rate: No mandatory cost sharing stated; funding percentage not stated
Cost sharing: Not required
Likely applicant types: Public bodies, SMEs / start-ups, Companies, Universities & research, Non-profits From source categories or programme rules; the call decides.
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Reference: PAR-28-009
Assistance listing: 93.473 Complementary and Integrative Health - Research Projects
Last checked: 15 Nov 2026

Open the official call ↗

About this call

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to support collaborative interdisciplinary research that advances foundational understanding of non-addictive natural products for chronic pain management through a holistic, system-oriented approach. This initiative aligns with the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative by promoting safe, non-addictive, and prevention-oriented strategies for pain relief.

Chronic pain affects tens of millions of adults in the United States, contributing to disability, diminished quality of life, and significant healthcare costs. Despite widespread public use of natural products, such as botanicals, dietary supplements, and other naturally derived compounds for pain relief, scientific evidence has not kept pace with demand. Existing research often focuses on single molecular targets or isolated pathways, which fail to capture the complex, multisystem actions of these products.

Read the full text

The scope of natural products under this NOFO includes those commonly used by the public as well as those with emerging usage or therapeutic potential. Research is expected to take a holistic approach that examines how these products influence pain through coordinated biological pathways across the multiple organ systems, such as digestive, immune, vascular, musculoskeletal, lymphatic, metabolic/adipose tissues, and nervous system. Studies should also explore dose optimization based on the principle of hormesis, where low doses may elicit beneficial or adaptive effects while higher doses could be ineffective or harmful. In addition, investigators are encouraged to identify optimal intervention timing that aligns with the dynamic phases of pain and inflammation, thereby maximizing therapeutic outcomes and supporting physiological recovery.

This program emphasizes rigorous mechanistic studies that generate foundational insights to inform future translational research and guide the development of safe, evidence-based, non-addictive strategies for pain management.

Who can apply

County governments
Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
For profit organizations other than small businesses
Private institutions of higher education
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Small businesses
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
City or township governments
Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Independent school districts
State governments
Special district governments
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities

Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.

Topics

Health

How to apply

Read the full notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) linked from the official page: eligibility, cost sharing and evaluation criteria.
Make sure your organisation has an active SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity ID (UEI); registration can take several weeks.
For NIH: the organisation and the principal investigator also need eRA Commons accounts; applications are usually submitted through Grants.gov (for example with ASSIST).
Prepare the required forms, narrative, budget and attachments exactly as the NOFO specifies.
Submit before the deadline and keep the tracking number. Check for amendments before you submit.

From the call text

Who can apply: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Company stage: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Single applicant or consortium: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Where applicants must be based: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Where to apply: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page

Contact

Division of Extramural Research (DER) Program Officer · NCCIHDERFunding@nih.gov · Please contact via e-mail.

Where these facts come from

Fact	Value	How we know	Taken from the source
Deadline	25 May 2027	official data field	15 Nov 2026
Amount per applicant	Unknown — not stated in the source we hold	unknown	—
Total budget	Unknown — not stated in the source we hold	unknown	—
Funding rate	No mandatory cost sharing stated; funding percentage not stated	read from the official text	15 Nov 2026
Who can apply	County governments; Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification); For profit organizations other than small businesses; Private institutions of higher education; Public and…	official data field	15 Nov 2026
Where to apply	Unknown — not stated in the source we hold	unknown	—

Official sources

Official call page

Facts on this page come from the funder’s official data, taken on 15 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.