Three steps forward, one step back: The Draft National Health Research Policy 2026

The Draft National Health Research Policy (NHRP), 2026, marks significant progress in re-organising India’s fragmented health research ecosystem. This commentary first commends four features that respond to existing gaps in the research ecosystem — its interdisciplinary approach, built-in transparency provisions, revision of the research assessment framework, and the requirement of informed consent for computational data use. The commentary then recommends improving the policy by increasing participation of the states, naming bodies responsible for listed functions, strengthening benefit-sharing provisions, and anchoring consent procedures within the framework of supported decision-making. Lastly, two areas require further deliberation: revising the research domains to better reflect the envisaged research priorities, and explicitly recognising persons with disabilities both as researchers and research participants. The momentum set by the Draft NHRP must be sustained by timely finalisation of the Policy after accommodating public comments, and early establishment of the named bodies.