The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP) released its latest webcast in which Peter Thomas, JD, discussed how cuts at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) could impact O&P research and how the O&P Alliance responded, as well as the selection of Annika Berlin as the eighth 2025 George and Dana Breece Fellowship recipient.
“Well, it’s been quite a tumultuous ride so far this year,” Thomas started the webcast by saying. “All you have to do is watch the news to know that.” Thomas said after years of progress, O&P research is at risk. NAAOP’s first major victory was its role in creation of the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research at the NIH in 1990, which focused on rehabilitation science, including O&P research and development, he said. The program grew rapidly, and NIH now spends over $900 million annually on rehabilitation research, including O&P research and development.
The new administration is taking major steps to restructure the NIH with funding restrictions and firings/furloughs of over 1,200 officials and staff. “Many positive developments at NIH are at risk, and NAAOP has joined with its Alliance partners to defend and proactively support O&P research at NIH,” Thomas said.
Thomas said that O&P outcomes research is back on track—for now. NAAOP and the O&P Alliance worked with the Amputee Coalition to continue funding for O&P outcomes research housed at the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, which has funded over $120 million in O&P outcomes research since 2014. Important report language that was included in the Senate Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025, however, may have been lost when Congress extended last year’s funding levels through the remainder of the federal fiscal year which ends on September 30, Thomas said.
Recently, however, NAAOP learned that the Senate report language on O&P outcomes research survived and will allow O&P researchers to apply for competitively selected grants later this year. NAAOP will continue to work with its partners to increase funding for O&P outcomes research in fiscal year 2026, he said.
NAAOP also spearheaded an effort to educate national nonprofit organizations to support a proposal by the Biden Administration to expand coverage of anti-obesity medications under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Nearly 60 disability and rehabilitation organizations supported this proposal, including The American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (the Academy), The American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA), the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC), The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC), and the Amputee Coalition. NAAOP met with the White House recently, and Nikki Grace, an NAAOP board member and former Breece Fellow, participated in a presentation to finalize the proposed rule as written. The decision was announced on April 4, but the new administration did not decide either way. “Punted, if you will,” Thomas said.
“In short, we will live to fight another day,” he said. “NAAOP rallied around this issue due to the significant connection between limb loss and obesity, including diabetes and peripheral vascular disease.”
Berlin, the 2025 George and Dena Breece Fellow, will participate in a paid fellowship in Washington DC, which will begin in late May and extend through early August. Berlin is the eighth Breece Fellow and will learn about O&P policy and advocacy within the context of the broader set of rehabilitation and disability policy issues.
To view a recording of the webinar, visit NAAOP’s website.
To watch the latest NAAOP webcast visit its YouTube page.
