2. Remarks of the Director, NIAID

Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.

Dr. Fauci opened the Monday afternoon, September 8, session of Council by welcoming visitors to the 127th meeting. He welcomed the newly appointed Department of Defense ex-officio representative to Council, Dr. Theodore Freeman, Chairman and Program Director, Allergy and Immunology Department, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lakeland Air Force Base, Texas, as well as ad hoc Council members:

Dr. Maureen Howard, Vice President of Research, Anergen (Redwood City, CA); Dr. Dennis Kasper, Director, Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School; Dr. Gerald Mandell, Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine (Charlottesville); Dr. Michel Nussenzweig, Professor and Senior Physician, Rockefeller University; Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills, Professor, University of Virginia School of Medicine (Charlottesville); and Dr. Judy Teale, Professor, Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Health Science Center (San Antonio).

Dr. Fauci expressed the Institute’s gratitude to the following members of Council whose terms end with this meeting: Drs. Janet Butel; Howard Johnson; Judith Thomas and Ms. Orvalene Prewitt.

The minutes of the May 19-20, 1997 meeting were considered and approved as written.

Bettering the NIH average by half a percentage point, NIAID anticipates a 6.5 percent to 8.1 percent budget boost in FY 1998, depending on the outcome of the congressional conference, which resolves differences between the Senate and House. This level would raise our budget to between $1.34 and $1.36 billion. Dr. Fauci told Council he was very pleased that both chambers of Congress have once again shown their continued and generous support of NIH and NIAID.

The Institute’s research project grant success rate - the number of grants funded compared to applications received - climbs to 33.5 percent up from 32.6 percent last year. Congress is also building new monies into the budget for AIDS vaccine research. The House added $6.0 million for our HIV Vaccine Innovation Grant Program to the $10 million for AIDS vaccines in the President’s Budget. Of the $10 million, $5 million will be used for the new intramural AIDS Vaccine Research Center, a joint venture with the National Cancer Institute.

According to this year’s changes to NIAID’s financial operating plan, NIAID will continue to reduce awards based on percentile ranks though at lower levels than in previous years. Applications with percentiles of 0-4.0 will be reduced 5.0 percent; 4.1-8.0, 7.0 percent; and 8.1 and higher, 9.0 percent. There will also be a bigger inflationary increase for existing grants, now at 3.0 percent, up from 2.0 percent in FY 1997, and higher limits on the amount awarded for a followup (recompeting or type 2) grant. The latter are capped at 20.0 percent more than the amount awarded in the last year of the previous grant, up from 10.0 percent in FY 1997. The payline stays the same, holding at the 24.0 percentile for non-AIDS and 26.0 for AIDS research.

Dr. Fauci told Council that NIAID staff participated in the international meeting, which brought together representatives of government and industry worldwide. Consensus was not reached on how to address the malaria problem, and another meeting is planned for this fall. As part of the global planning effort, NIAID has drafted a plan describing the scientific needs required to combat the epidemic.

Summer Policy Retreat

NIAID’s recent management meeting, the summer policy retreat, discussed policy issues and program reviews. The divisions presented overviews of their research portfolios and shared their FY 1999 initiative proposals. Other topics discussed at the meeting were the Government Performance and Results Act, proposed South Africa Initiative, proposed technology transfer service center, and molecular chip technology.

50^th Anniversary

NIAID is planning its fiftieth anniversary celebration, which will feature scientific lectures on accomplishments that have enhanced the public health and future directions. They will be open to the public.

Draft Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-Infected Individuals

Council heard from Dr. Fauci about the new guidelines for treating HIV, produced by a panel co chaired by him and Dr. John Bartlett of Johns Hopkins University. The guidelines are expected to be published this fall after the comment period closes. Additional updates will take place as new treatments become available.

Council Materials

Copies of the Legislative Update, which describes hearings and bills of interest to the Institute, were distributed. In addition, the NIAID Office of Communications and Public Liaison provided Council members with several publications and press releases.