2012-12-20
Negotiations Stalled to Avert Cuts to NIH; Take Action NOW to Protect Medical Research
With less than two weeks to go before across-the-board cuts (known as "sequestration") to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federally funded programs take effect, negotiations remain at an impasse to avert the catastrophic funding cuts. Visit the ASH Advocacy Center now to send an e-mail to your Members of Congress telling them about the devastating impact these cuts will have on biomedical research and the need for them to take a balanced approach to reducing the deficit that doesn't further cut NIH and other core federal programs. Read more.
Senator Mikulski to Be Named Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee
Following the death of Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) earlier this week, it is expected that Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), a strong supporter of NIH and other public health programs, will be appointed as the new chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Read more.
ASH 2012 Advocacy Highlights
During 2012, ASH was involved in several advocacy efforts to support the Society's legislative, regulatory, and policy priorities. ASH advocacy was successful on several fronts, including legislation to address drug shortages, congressional attention to ASH research priorities in the FY2013 appropriations report, and media attention to the ASH policy on sickle cell trait and athletic participation.For more details about ASH advocacy initiatives, please click on the links below:
NIH Presents Plan to Address Biomedical Research Workforce and Diversity Challenges
Earlier this month, the NIH released a plan to implement policy and funding changes designed to increase the diversity of both culture and career paths available to biomedical research trainees, as well as an initiative to consolidate and improve access to the NIH's vast amount of research data. The plan was developed with input from many outside stakeholders, including ASH, who submitted recommendations last year. Read more.
NIH Announces New Director of NIH Center for Scientific Review
On December 3, NIH Director Francis Collins, MD, PhD, announced the selection of Richard Nakamura, PhD, as the new director of the NIH's Center for Scientific Review (CSR). Dr. Nakamura has been serving as the acting director of CSR since September 2011 and has previously been both the scientific director and the deputy director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
