Funding for Multicomponent Interventions

Multicomponent interventions are those that combine two or more treatment methods. To be of interest to NCCIH, multicomponent interventions should combine a complementary health approach with a conventional therapy (e.g., a natural product and surgery; yoga and a medication), or multiple complementary health approaches, (e.g., massage and biofeedback; a natural product and mindfulness). For studies proposing to combine a conventional therapy with a complementary health approach, applicants should use a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) that supports the respective category of the complementary health approach (e.g., natural product or mind and body). 

For applications that include both a mind and body approach and a natural product as part of a multicomponent intervention, it can be difficult to know which NOFO to use. The choice depends on the amount of preliminary data about each component. Use of a mind and body NOFO is best for a multicomponent intervention when there is peer-reviewed and published data from at least one fully powered placebo-controlled trial where the formulation of the proposed natural product has demonstrated efficacy for the condition being studied. In contrast, use of a natural product NOFO is best for a multicomponent intervention when efficacy data for the natural product is lacking, but the proposed mind and body component has demonstrated efficacy in at least one fully powered trial for the condition and population being studied. Please contact NCCIH program staff for any questions about which NOFO to select for multicomponent interventions.