Project Grant R15AT013300

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health of the Department of Health and Human Services awarded Southern California University of Health Sciences $535,524 on August 15, 2026, under the Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health program (CFDA 93.213) to assess the quality and value of non-pharmacological therapies compared to prescription drug therapy for managing spinal pain in Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older.

The research will use Medicare administrative and claims data to compare the safety, efficiency, and healthcare quality outcomes of non-pharmacological therapy, prescription drug therapy, and combined approaches for spinal pain management. The project will examine adverse outcome likelihood, care efficiency, and cost-effectiveness across these treatment strategies for fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries. The study responds to the prevalence and cost burden of spinal pain in older adults, who face safety concerns from chronic opioid and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and elevated vulnerability to adverse events. The project will strengthen the research environment at the recipient institution through active student engagement.

The period of performance runs from August 15, 2026 to July 31, 2028. Work is performed in Whittier, California. This is a project grant, the assistance type for competitive research awards under the NCCIH program.