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COSSA & Partners Urge Congress to Complete FY 2015 Omnibus Spending Bill
On November 12, COSSA joined the biomedical and behavioral science community in signing the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research letter to Congress. The letter, which was signed by 303 organizations, urges Congress to âcomplete an omnibus spending package [that] includes a Labor-HHS-Education bill that restores funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to at least pre-sequestration levels.â The letter also notes, âAn omnibus spending bill with a Labor-HHS appropriation restoring NIH to at least pre-sequester funding levels would mark an important step toward a more sustainable, predictable research environment for patients and their families, as well as for…
Aging and Mental Health Institutes Seek Comments on Draft Strategic Plans
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are seeking public comment on the development of the Institutesâ strategic plans. The plans will guide the Institutesâ research priorities. National Institute on Aging The NIA recently released a request for information (RFI) seeking guidance on its strategic plan, Aging Well in the 21st Century: Strategic Directions for Research on Aging. The draft plan outlines NIAâs broad strategic directions for the Institute and âprovides a point of reference for setting priorities and a framework for systematically analyzing the Instituteâs…
IOM Recommends Including Social/Behavioral Determinants in Electronic Health Records
On November 13, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released Capturing Social and Behavioral Domains and Measures in Electronic Health Records: Phase 2, which recommends a âconcrete approach to including social and behavioral determinants in the clinical context to increase clinical awareness of the patientâs state, broadly considered, and to connect clinical, public health, and community resources for work in concert.” The reportâs recommendations takes into consideration the âsubstantial empirical evidence of the contribution of social and behavioral factors to functional status and the onset, progression, and effective treatment of disease [that] has accumulated over the past four decades.â
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 33 Issue 20
In this issue… Featured News Outcome of Midterm Elections May Not Offer Clarity over FY 2015 Endgame COSSA in Action COSSA Weighs in on National Childrenâs Study Framework Keep up on COSSA in the news here. Federal Agency & Administration News NSFâs SBE Directorate Seeks to Fill Numerous Leadership Posts Census Bureau Seeks Comment on Proposed Elimination of ACS Questions NIH Makes Awards to Enhance Diversity of the Scientific Workforce OHRP Solicits Comments on Draft Guidance on Risk Disclosure in Research Evaluating Standards of Care CDC Requests Nominations for Board of Scientific Counselors, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response…
COSSA Weighs in on National Childrenâs Study Framework
On October 26, COSSA sent a letter to the National Childrenâs Study (NCS) Working Group, a subgroup of the National Institutes of Health Advisory Council to the Director, outlining concerns with the NCS framework and raising other issues for consideration as the working group progresses with its review the program. As the letter states, âthe NCS has the potential to become an invaluable resource, yielding new insights into the complex linkages between social, genetic, and environmental factors and how these factors interact to influence health, growth and development across the life course. To ensure the study produces meaningful data, the…
NIMH Creates New Unit to Support Its Research Domain Criteria Initiative
On October 31, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) announced the creation of a new unit designed to reframe mental health research by facilitating communication among scientists, clinicians, and the public. The new unit was established to support the development of the instituteâs Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative. According to NIMH, RDoC âattempts to bring the power of modern research approaches in genetics, neuroscience, and behavioral problems of mental illness, studied independently from the classification systems by which patients are currently grouped.â The aim is to accelerate the pace of research that translates basic science into clinical settings âby…
SMRB Continues Discussion of Pre-College Engagement in Biomedical Science
During its October 14 meeting, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Scientific Management Review Board (SMRB) continued its examination of the NIH grant review, award, and management process and its discussion of the evidence base for successful approaches for pre-college biomedical science programs designed to strengthen the biomedical workforce pipeline.
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 33 Issue 18
In this issue… Congressional Activities & News Congresswoman Johnson Defends NSFâs Merit Review Process Federal Agency & Administration Activities & News White House Hosts Conference on BRAIN Initiative NIH Council of Councils Discusses Stable Support for Investigators NIGMS Advisory Council Approves New Grant Mechanism; Discusses Reproducibility NIH Center for Scientific Review to Host Peer Review Webinars for New Grant Applicants NSF Seeks Nominations for Waterman Award Agriculture Census Highlights Organic Farms Notable Publications & Community Events Roundtable on Health Literacy Seeks Nominations for New Members Henry and Bryna David Lecturer Proposes âInternational Climate Clubâ Funding Opportunities Psychosocial and Behavioral Aspects…
White House Hosts Conference on BRAIN Initiative
On September 30, the White House hosted a conference on President Obamaâs BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative. The Initiative is a large-scale effort to provide researchers with important insights to treat a variety of disorders, including Alzheimerâs disease, schizophrenia, and traumatic brain injury, among others. Four agencies, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), have together committed more than $110 million to the Initiative in FY 2014 (see Update, April 7, 2014, pg. 26).
NIGMS Advisory Council Approves New Grant Mechanism, Discusses Reproducibility
At the September meeting of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Advisory Council, director Jon Lorsch provided an update on a number of issues, including the National Institutes of Healthâs (NIH) data reproducibility efforts, the NIGMS strategic planning process, and an overview of the impacts of the previous NIH budget-doubling period âon the biomedical research ecosystem.â In addition, the Council approved the Instituteâs concept clearance to create the new Maximizing Investigatorsâ Research Award (MIRA), clearing the way for NIGMS to proceed. Reproducibility Lorsch noted that reproducibility is not a single issue but an issue of reproducibility of data,…
Psychosocial and Behavioral Aspects of Bariatric Surgery
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) is seeking applications designed to measure psychosocial and behavioral variables in individuals undergoing bariatric surgery to understand how they predict success and risk and examine mechanisms of behavior change. The funding opportunity announcement, Psychosocial and Behavioral Aspects of Bariatric Surgery (RFA-DK-14-026), responds to the dramatic increase in the number of bariatric surgeries performed in the U.S. over the last decade, including those performed on adolescents.
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 33 Issue 17
In this issue… Featured Article AAA&S Restoring the Foundation Report Calls for Increased Federal Investment in Research Congressional Activities & News Funding Bills Punted Until After Midterm Elections Rep. Johnson Defends Social Science and Education Research at Dyslexia Hearing Education Research, NCES Bill Clears Senate Panel House Appropriations Committee Democrats Introduce FY 2015 Labor, HHS, and Education Bill House Subcommittee Discusses Suicide Prevention and Treatment Federal Agency & Administration Activities & News NIH Issues Final Genomic Data Sharing Policy NCHS and Census Release Data on Health Insurance Coverage PCORI Seeks Public Comment on Draft Peer Review and Public Release Proposal…
House Appropriations Committee Democrats Introduce FY 2015 Labor, HHS, and Education Bill
On September 15, the Democratic members of the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Subcommittee (Labor-HHS), led by Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), introduced their version of a fiscal year (FY) 2015 funding bill for the programs within the Subcommitteeâs jurisdiction. The Labor-HHS bill is the only appropriations bill that has yet to be considered by the full House Appropriations Committee. Thus far, the Subcommitteeâs Republican majority has given no indication that it intends to introduce a Labor-HHS bill this year. This is the second consecutive year and third year out of the last four that the Subcommittee…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 33 Issue 16
In this issue… Congressional Activities & News Congress Returns this Week for Short, Packed Work Period Federal Agency & Administration Activities & News NSF Seeks Social Science Public Affairs Specialist IES Seeks Input to Guide Future Educational Research Activities Census, NCHS Hold Joint Technical Meeting Ahead of Release of Insurance Coverage Data NASS Invites Suggestions for Next Census of Agriculture NIJ Seeking Researchers to Support Comprehensive School Safety Initiative NIH Seeks Input on Information Resources for Data-Related Standards Widely Used in Biomedical Science AHRQ Solicits Scientific Information on Health Information Exchange Notable Publications & Community Events Social Scientists among 2014…
Census, NCHS Hold Joint Technical Meeting Ahead of Release of Insurance Coverage Data
On September 16, the Census Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) will release the first federal statistics on health insurance coverage during the period after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The agencies held a technical meeting on August 18 to go over what will be released later this month and provide background on the methods used in the respective household surveys. Census Bureau Director John Thompson and NCHS Director Charles Rothwell introduced the meeting. A webcast is available here. Two sources of data will be used together to assess the impact of the ACA…
NINR Seeks Grant Applications Addressing Obesity and Asthma: Awareness and Self-Management
The prevalence of asthma and obesity has risen significantly over the past several decades. Both conditions are considered inflammatory conditions. In 2012, the prevalence of asthma in the U.S. was 8.2 percent, affecting 25.5 million people. This large asthma burden and the continued adverse outcomes is an ongoing public health challenge, including the effort to enhance uptake of underutilized management strategies to control symptoms. At the same time, 34 percent of the adult population 20 years and older living in the U.S. are considered obese. Healthy People 2010 identified overweight and obesity as one of 10 leading health indicators and…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 33 Issue 15
In this issue… Featured Article Analysis of FY 2015 Senate Labor-HHS Bill Congressional Activities & News Uncertain Outlook for Completion of FY 2015 Spending Bills America COMPETES Reauthorization Bill Introduced in Senate Senate Appropriations Proposes Small Increase for NEH Federal Agency & Administration Activities & News White House Issues Annual S&T Guidance for FY 2016 Budget White House Seeks Input on Strategy for American Innovation NIH Seeks Next Director of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research NIH Seeks Next Position Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities The CTSA Program at NIH: The NCATS…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 33 Issue 14
In this issue… Congressional Activities & News Senate Appropriations Committee Releases Text of FY 2015 Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill Senate Commerce Committee Releases Draft COMPETES/NSF Bill Federal Agency & Administration Activities & News Cora Marrett to Leave NSF NIGMS Request for Information: Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award NIH Issues Challenge to Find Advances Tied to NIGMS Support SMRB Discusses Pre-College Engagement in Biomedical Science; NIH Director Reflects on Impact of the Sequester Rising Mortality Rates in Women in the U.S.: Role of Drug Abuse and Addiction National Humanities Council Meets as NEH Faces Budget Uncertainty, New Chairman NCHS Releases Data on Weight…
NIGMS Request for Information: Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award
The National Institute of General Medical Science (NIGMS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently issued a time-sensitive Request for Information (RFI) for input to assist in its planning for a potential new program tentatively called the Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA). According to NIGMS, MIRA is intended to be a grant in support of all of the research supported by the institute in an investigator’s laboratory. The Institute is planning to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement to test the new program on a pilot scale. Accordingly, it is seeking feedback from the scientific community.
Rising Mortality Rates in Women in the U.S.: Role of Drug Abuse and Addiction
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) director Nora Volkow recently discussed the role of substance abuse in the âRising Mortality Rates in Women in the U.S.,â the subject of a July 15 Womenâs Policy, Inc.- sponsored congressional briefing. Susan Dentzer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), moderated the session. According to Dentzer, the briefing was designed to address the data in the 2013 National Research Council (NRC) and Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, U.S. Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health (see Update, October 7, 2013), also the subject of an earlier congressional briefing sponsored by the Coalition for the…