---
title: "National Institute for Health and Care Research"
chunk: 1/3
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Institute_for_Health_and_Care_Research"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:34:49.504003+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is the British government's major funder of clinical, public health, social care and translational research. With a budget of over £1.2 billion in 2020–21, its mission is to "improve the health and wealth of the nation through research". The NIHR was established in 2006 under the government's Best Research for Best Health strategy, and is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. As a research funder and research partner of the NHS, public health and social care, the NIHR complements the work of the Medical Research Council. NIHR focuses on translational research (translating discoveries from the laboratory to the clinic), clinical research and applied health and social care research.

== History ==
The NIHR (originally named National Institute for Health Research) was created in April 2006 under the government's health research strategy, Best Research for Best Health. This strategy outlined the direction that NIHR research and development should take. Its predecessor was the NHS Research & Development programme which was established in 1991. Factors influencing the creation of the NIHR were the growing importance of evidence-based medicine in science and policymaking, the spread of New Public Management thinking and increased government funding.
Its budget was over £1.2 billion in 2020–21.  As of 2016 it was the largest national clinical research funder in Europe. In 2022 NIHR changed its name to National Institute for Health and Care Research in order to emphasise its role in social care research.

=== Notable discoveries and developments ===
NIHR is among the world-leaders in COVID-19 research and recruited over a million people in their studies of the disease. In the RECOVERY trial, NIHR researchers found that the inexpensive steroid dexamethasone lowers the mortality rate among Covid patients receiving breathing support in hospitals. The PANORAMIC study, which examined the efficacy of molnupiravir and Paxlovid, was awarded the Prix Galien for its design and implementation.
NIHR was one of the developers of the UK Standards for Public Involvement which set the framework on how to involve the public in research.
Delivered a trial for Haemophilia A which resulted in the first successful use of gene therapy for treating the condition.
Showed that using MRI is better for detecting prostate cancer than the more intrusive biopsy.
Showed that gefapixant could be used to treat some types of cough, making it the first new cough medicine in 50 years.
Demonstrated that a blood test can be used to better diagnose pre-eclampsia.

== Research ==

=== Areas of focus ===
In June 2021 NIHR published Best Research for Best Health: The Next Chapter. The document, building on the 2006 Best Research for Best Health strategy, outlined the updated operational principles, core work-streams and areas of strategic focus of the NIHR. Their work-streams include funding research for the NHS, public and global health and social care; investing in expertise and facilities; and involving patients and communities in research. Their current areas of strategic focus include learning from impact of COVID-19 on research and healthcare; researching for patients with multiple long-term conditions, involving under-served communities and regions in research; and improving equality, diversity and inclusion across the Institution.

=== Research programmes ===
The NIHR's funding programmes offer a focused source of funding for researchers within the health and care system in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also participate in some of these programmes. The programmes give researchers access to funding to undertake clinical and applied health and social care research.
NIHR's funding programmes are:

Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation
Evidence Synthesis
Health and Social Care Delivery Research
Health Technology Assessment
Invention for Innovation
National Research Collaboration Programme
Policy Research Programme
Programme Development Grants
Programme Grants for Applied Research
Public Health Research
Research for Patient Benefit

=== Research schools ===
The NIHR has established three national research schools: the School for Primary Care Research, the School for Social Care Research, and the School for Public Health Research. Each national school is a research collaboration between academic centres in England. The three schools take part in developing evidence for use in practice and provide training and career development opportunities for researchers in their respective sectors.

=== Research units ===
NIHR funds a range of university-based collaborations that undertake research in priority areas: blood and organ donor health, health protection, and health and social care policy. Each unit focuses on a priority topic, for example blood donation, healthcare-associated infections, and adult social care.

=== Global health research ===
Supporting the UK International Development Strategy and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, NIHR launched its Global Health portfolio in 2016. It funds applied health research that directly addresses the diverse health needs of people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) using UK Aid from the UK government. As well as funding Global Health Research Units and Groups, partnerships between British universities and LMIC institutions, NIHR invests in training and development in global health research and strengthening the research capacity of LMICs at individual, institutional and system level. Engaging and involving local communities in the design and delivery of health research is also part of the programme.
In accordance with NIHR's open access policy, research created with such funding needs to be published in an open access journal. NIHR's global health spendings can be checked through the database of the International Aid Transparency Initiative.
Since 2020, NIHR's global health research units and groups have been involved in efforts to tackle the spread and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in LMICs.