ASE Joins Alliance Comments on OMB Uniform Guidance Proposed Rule

On July 13, ASE joined the Alliance of Specialty Medicine in submitting comments urging OMB to withdraw the proposed rule. The letter outlines concerns across the rule’s major provisions: aligning grant programs with administration priorities and an undefined “gold standard science” test, political appointee review that reduces peer review to strictly advisory status, unrestricted termination authority, prohibitions on collaboration with covered foreign countries, vague “disqualifying affiliation” criteria that could penalize researchers connected to advocacy organizations, restrictions on messaging about policy positions, pre-approval requirements for conference attendance and professional society memberships, and prohibition of all publication costs. The Alliance also notes the rule never appeared on the Unified Agenda, depriving stakeholders of early input.

The Alliance letter extends ASE’s advocacy across the full scope of the rule, including provisions not covered in depth elsewhere, such as conference attendance pre-approval, professional membership restrictions, and journal subscription limits. These provisions strike directly at how echocardiography professionals share best practices, present research at scientific meetings, and maintain the professional engagement that supports quality patient care. Signing on demonstrates ASE’s alignment with the broader specialty medicine community in defending scientific merit as the basis for federal funding decisions.