Funding Research Through the Online Partnership to Accelerate Research (OnPAR).

OnPAR-the Online Partnership to Accelerate Research-seeks to provide a second opportunity for funding of high-quality, unfunded applications originally submitted to the National Institutes of Health and other national and international funding agencies. OnPAR will match applicable, unfunded applications with the research priorities of nongovernment organizations such as private biomedical foundations, pharmaceutical companies, venture capital funds, and other private funds. Funding organization members will review and make final funding decisions through a simple, 2-step process whereby applicants can submit public abstracts directly to OnPAR.

Quantitative impact of including consumers in the scientific review of breast cancer research proposals.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of having breast cancer survivors with advocacy experience (consumers) participate as voting members of scientific review panels for proposals on breast cancer research. As major stakeholders, patients and other consumer advocates sought inclusion in all decision-making processes affecting funding of disease-targeted research.

Method: Cross-sectional analysis of assigned proposal scores ranging from 5.

Benefits and drawbacks of including consumer reviewers in the scientific merit review of breast cancer research.

Background: This study assessed participant opinions about inclusion of breast cancer survivors as lay representatives in a scientific and technical merit review of proposals for the 1995 Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program (DOD BCRP).

Methods: The evaluation employed a prepanel and postpanel survey design, which was intended to elicit feedback about attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs toward collaborative consumer and scientist participation in scientific merit review. Qualitative methods were used to describe the consumers' and scientists' responses, to explore the significance of this interaction, and to gain an understanding of the benefits and disadvantages of bringing these participants together.