Signal Researchers sue NIH over keyword screening of grant applications

Summary

A group of researchers filed a lawsuit against the National Institutes of Health on September 16 2026. It was brought by 13 named researchers and four anonymous plaintiffs, who allege that the agency's practice of screening grant applications and existing grants for certain words and phrases to decide whether to reject them violates their First Amendment free speech rights. The suit seeks to halt the process of searching applications and current grants for specific terms as a basis for rejection decisions. The plaintiffs include both researchers who identified themselves publicly and others who did not. The complaint reflects concern that such screening practices could push researchers toward self-censorship.