Brigham and Women's doctor under fire over alleged involvement in NFL's grant withdrawal

Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, president of Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, has come under scrutiny in reports that she was part of the National Football League's attempt to influence funding decisions at the National Institutes of Health.

Nabel also serves as the NFL's chief medical officer.

In 2012, the NFL pledged a $30 million donation to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health for sports-related research. But in December 2015, ESPN said the NFL backed out of the funding because it objected to the person selected for the study, according to the report.

The National Institutes of Health selected Boston University researcher Dr. Robert Stern to receive $16 million. Stern has been vocal about the connection between football and long-term brain damage and had objected to a settlement on a class action lawsuit brought by players saying it would deny adequate compensation, according to the report.

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Nabel, in an email, questioned the peer review process that led to the selection of Stern's grant proposal, according to the report.

Nabel said Stern had filed independent testimony in the NFL/Players Association settlement. She said members of a BU-led group, which may have included Stern, and members of the review board, had co-authored articles together, referring to one study published within the past two years.

"I hope this group is able to approach their research in an unbiased manner," she said.

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In a story published in STAT, Nabel she "had no intention of influencing" the National Institutes of Health process. "I made my neutrality quite clear," she told STAT in a statement.

The Democratic Committee report found, among other things, that the NFL should not have intervened in the funding process and that it was improper for any members of the NFL staff as well as members of a Head, Neck and Spine Committee to give an opinion on the merits of the grant and attempt to circumvent the peer review process.

In a statement, the NFL said, "The NFL is deeply committed to continuing to accelerate scientific research and advancements in this critical area, and we stand ready to support additional independent research to that end."

Twitter: @SusanJMorse