US President Donald Trump wants his administration to gain greater control over how billions of dollars in biomedical research funding are distributed. He recently proposed new board that could have the power to veto individual grants of National Institutes of Health (NIH).The proposal, drafted by Budget Director Russell Vought, emerged after a White House meeting was held on September 18, according to the latest reports. The proposed board would include Vought and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, whose unanimous agreement will reportedly be required for grants.The plan is just a proposal and has not yet been formally issued, and details of its structure and authority could change.Current Process Of Distributing NIH Grants The NIH financially back research into cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases, neurological disorders and many other serious conditions. Its current grant process relies heavily on scientific peer review, in which experts evaluate applications for scientific merit before funding decisions are made.NIH says its peer-review system is intended to provide “fair, independent, expert, and timely scientific reviews” and to prevent funding decisions being coloured from inappropriate influence.At the second stage, advisory councils made up of scientists and public representatives review applications and provide recommendations. The institute or centre director currently makes the final funding decision, taking those recommendations and other factors into account. The proposed system could introduce another layer of political oversight above that process that could significantly influence how funds are allocated to research.Also read: Donald Trump Wants Childhood Vaccines Split Into 5 Shots To Prevent Autism: But Is There Evidence? Trump Administration Opposes Funding For 'Woke' ResearchThe administration has argued that federal research funding should better reflect its policy priorities and that some previous grants supported research it considers misaligned with those priorities.At the White House meeting, Vought reportedly criticised the NIH for funding what he described as “woke” initiatives that conflicted with Trump's goals.The administration has also argued that changes to research funding are needed to improve oversight and ensure taxpayer money supports what it considers scientifically sound and nationally relevant research.Also read: Trump Nominates Dr Nicole Saphier As Third Surgeon General PickWhat Could The Proposed Board Change?According to the reports, the board could review NIH grant awards and block funding that does not align with the administration's priorities. That would represent a significant change from a system in which scientific review is central to determining which research proposals are eligible for funding.The NIH has already undergone changes to its grant process under the Trump administration. Separately, the White House has proposed more rules that would give political authorities greater power over federal grants across government agencies and sideline scientific peer review advisory. NIH's StanceThe NIH has not confirmed the details of the proposed board. In a statement reported by The New York Times, NIH spokesperson Joshua Pradko said, “N.I.H. remains committed to its mission of funding biomedical research to benefit the health of the American people.”Responding to reports that Vought wanted to rescind NIH funding, Pradko also said, “There will be no rescissions to N.I.H. grant monies. All N.I.H. grant monies will be spent.”The NIH is currently dealing with a record number of applications. More than 40,000 grant applications have been received for the January 2027 council round, according to an NIH update issued September 18.