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NIH Public Liaison News Bulletin - September 2001
October 2001 COPR Meeting Announcement The sixth meeting of the NIH Director's Council of Public Representatives (COPR) will be held on Tuesday, October 23, 2001 on the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD. Please mark your calendar and watch for more details on the COPR Web site.
2002 Call for COPR Applications--Due October 23, 2001 The Director of the National Institutes of Health is seeking applicants for six new COPR members to be appointed in April 2002. The COPR was created in 1999 to provide advice and recommendations to the Director on matters related to medical research, NIH policies and programs, and public participation in agency activities. The COPR consists of up to 20 individuals who are selected from among the diverse communities that benefit from, and have an interest in, NIH research, programs, and activities. To be considered for the COPR, applicants must have some interest in the work of NIH, be in a position to communicate regularly with the broader public about the activities of COPR and NIH, and be willing to commit to full participation in COPR meeting discussions, conference calls, and subcommittee or working group activities. For more information or to access applications online, visit the COPR Web site. For more information or to request that an application be mailed to you, contact the staff working on this project by phone, fax, or E-mail:
Phone (301) 650-8660 Fax (301) 650-7172 E-mail: COPR@palladianpartners.com Applications must be postmarked by Tuesday, October 23, 2001.
COPR Member Activities and Highlights Lackritz Publishes Book on Adult Leukemia Congratulations are in order for COPR member Barbara Lackritz, who authored her first book, Adult Leukemia: A Comprehensive Guide for Patients and Families. This book has been listed as one of the "Best Consumer Health Information Resources" in the Consumer Health Information Source Book, 6th Edition, by Alan Rees. McFarland Offers Public Relations Expertise to California Vision Events COPR member Roland McFarland took time out in May to meet with the executive director of the Los Angeles host committee for "THE EYE SITE," the National Eye Institute's (NEI's) traveling exhibit on low vision, and to attend NEI's Vision Fair in Southbay, CA. Mr. McFarland provided recommendations on public relations strategies for an upcoming NEI exhibit in the Westside/Hollywood, CA area, and he will continue to assist NEI in publicizing events of local interest. Lappin Wins Award COPR member Debra Lappin recently won the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies-Distinguished Layperson Award for her leadership in the research and treatment of arthritis. Clearly, no one deserves this award more. Congratulations to Debra! Yee Facilitates NIH Workshop at University of Hawaii COPR member Doug Yee has been instrumental in the planning and organizing of a unique collaboration between the NIH Office of Extramural Research and the Office of Communications and Public Liaison. In addition to facilitating the planning of an NIH technical assistance workshop on Policies, Procedures, and Funding Opportunities for local researchers in Hawaii, Mr. Yee, also has lead the organizing of a unique public outreach event to be held on the University of Hawaii campus. For more information about this event, see the related article in the "Events" section in this Bulletin. Montoya Participates in NIDCD Panel COPR member Isaac Montoya, Ph.D., traveled to the NIH campus to participate in the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communicative Disorders (NIDCD) panel on Communicating the Importance of Follow-Through After Infant Hearing Screening (see the related article in the "News" section in this Bulletin). This panel addressed key questions on how to ensure that children are not "lost to follow-up" after being identified as having hearing loss. Vaalburg Proposes Review of COPR Activities COPR member Tom Vaalburg has proposed a reflective review or self-assessment of the COPR's role and activities in its first three years of existence as an NIH advisory body. This proposal is still in preliminary stages as COPR members consider ways to ensure against the loss of the acquired wisdom of the COPR members who have worked with the NIH Director to establish a strong foundation for the advisory council in its first three years of existence. COPR will lose six of the founding members this March and the last eight members will rotate off by March 2003. Working Group on Human Research Protections Continues Work on Report The COPR working group on Human Research Protections is continuing its extensive effort to draft a COPR report on this important topic. The COPR hopes to be ready to present the final report at the COPR meeting this October. Working Group Provides Input on 2002 Application Process The COPR working group on the COPR Application and Rotation Process has provided detailed input into the upcoming 2002 COPR Application process, including reviewing the COPR application prior to its distribution. Members are also providing specific suggestions for distributing the COPR Application to as diverse a population as possible.
Public Liaison Meetings, Events, and Programs NIMH, NIDA, and NINDS Sponsor "BRAIN: The World Inside Your Head" July 14, 2001 and Ongoing - Washington, DC This summer, a new national traveling exhibit, "BRAIN: The World Inside Your Head," premiered at the Smithsonian Institution's Arts and Industries Building in Washington DC. The exhibit will visit major science centers and natural history museums nationwide on a five-year tour beginning in January 2002. The following venues have been scheduled so far:
Additional locations will be added as information becomes available. Visit http://www.pfizer.com/brain/dates.html for updated schedules. "BRAIN" was made possible by collaboration among the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), several non-profit organizations, and a grant from Pfizer. Designed for both adults and children, "BRAIN" allows visitors to explore the brain's geography and function using virtual reality, video games, optical illusions, and hands-on displays to help demystify the workings of this extraordinary organ and make brain disorders easier to understand. Admission to the exhibit is free. In conjunction with the exhibit, the Smithsonian Resident Associates program is offering a series of special lectures and activities this fall, which are open to both Associate Members and the general public. For more information, see the exhibit home page at http://www.pfizer.com/brain. To learn more about the special lectures and programs this fall, visit http://residentassociates.org/rap/idx-brain.asp. NEI "V I S I O N" Traveling Exhibit Tour Extended The National Eye Institute's "V I S I O N" traveling exhibit tour has been extended. The 2,000-square foot exhibit will remain on display at the West Virginia University Eye Institute through July 2002. "V I S I O N" was developed as the centerpiece of NEI's Celebration of Vision Research. It premiered in 1993 and has been seen by more than four million people in 26 cities across the country. For more information, contact Jean Horrigan at (301) 496-5248 or by e-mail at jh@nei.nih.gov. National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, and in recognition, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is sponsoring events around the country. MADD Symposium A half-day research symposium was held in conjunction with the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) 2001 national conference titled "Looking Ahead, One Victory at a Time." During this interactive pre-conference symposium, participants heard the latest scientific information available on topics such as college drinking prevention; reducing alcohol-impaired driving; and using community-based models to design more accessible, relevant, and responsive prevention and intervention programs. For more information, contact Geoffrey Laredo at (301) 443-6371 or by e-mail at glaredo@willco.niaaa.nih.gov. Symposium on Alcohol Medications A full-day research-to-practice symposium for the Delaware Health and Social Services and DC/Delaware Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) on the use of medications will take place as part of a balanced approach to alcoholism treatment. This workshop, titled "Harnessing Science to Transform Lives: Act I-Alcoholism," will take place at Clayton Hall on the campus of the University of Delaware. The workshop will feature presentations from leading national researchers on alcoholism treatment and medications development and provide an excellent update for attendees on research implications and their potential applications in clinical settings. Counselors, social workers, and other providers are strongly encouraged to attend. To register or for additional information, visit the DC/Delaware ATTC Web site at http://www.danya.com/attc/index.asp or contact Kelly Green Kahn at (301) 443-0347 or by e-mail at kgreenka@mail.nih.gov. Faculty Development Initiative for Schools
of Social Work In an effort to increase the research-based knowledge of social workers in all areas of practice, including direct work with alcohol patients, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has developed a faculty development initiative to prepare faculty in Schools of Social work to teach about alcohol problems. The training, "Social Work Education for the Prevention and Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders," will run for one-and-one-half days. The course will be taught by social work faculty from the University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee), the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, the University of Washington, and NIAAA. It will focus on the early identification, assessment, intervention and prevention of alcohol problems in client populations. NIAAA expects to draw participants from faculty at schools of social work in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, but the session is open to others. There is no registration fee for attending, but seating is limited. For more information, contact Isabel Ellis, M.S.W., Public Health Analyst, NIAAA, at (301) 443-8771 or by e-mail at iellis@mail.nih.gov. Demand Treatment! Leadership Institute II NIAAA and the National Institute on Drug Abuse will cosponsor the Demand Treatment! Leadership Institute II, a three-day conference convened by Join Together for the 20 communities selected to participate in their Demand Treatment! Community Partners Project and Fighting Back Initiative. In keeping with the goals of NIAAA, the workshops at Demand Treatment! are designed to further expand and deepen participants' knowledge base and to provide concrete, practical action steps to use this knowledge within the communities. NIAAA will also focus on implementing community strategies for screenings, brief interventions, and other forms of substance abuse treatment, including a full-day, extended workshop for physicians. The sessions will also highlight the underlying linkages between alcohol abuse, addiction, and other illnesses and medical conditions, and increase participants' knowledge about addiction as a chronic treatable medical condition. NIAAA will offer a wealth of information to Join Together's community partners to help guide program and policy development where participants work and live. This symposium is open to physicians for CEU credit. For more information, visit the Join Together Web site at http://www.jointogether.org/home and the NIAAA Web site at http://www.niaaa.nih.gov. You may also contact Kelly Green Kahn at (301) 443-0347 or by e-mail at kgreenka@mail.nih.gov. THE EYE SITE Begins Second Leg THE EYE SITE, the NEI's traveling exhibit on low vision, completed the first leg of its nationwide tour on August 31, visiting five malls in the Los Angeles area and reaching several hundred thousand people with information on low vision in English and Spanish. NEI plans to open a second leg of the tour by bringing the exhibit to the following areas:
A second exhibit, which was on display at NIH August 20-24, will travel to the following sites in the east:
THE EYE SITE has just been recognized for excellence in communications to the public by the steering committee for the Communicating the Future: Best Practices for Communication of Science and Technology to the Public conference, cosponsored by the Department of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Department of Commerce. Details about the exhibit and its tours are available at www.nei.nih.gov/nehep/eyesite. For more information, contact Jean Horrigan at (301) 496-5248 or by e-mail at jh@nei.nih.gov. Rocky Mountain Laboratories Establishes Public
Seminar Series The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' (NIAID's) Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Hamilton, MT, will continue its lecture series for the public to provide the community an opportunity to hear more about the research being conducted at RML. At the first seminar, on June 4, Dr. James Musser, chief of the Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis, addressed the question "Are Pathogenic Bacteria or Humans Winning the Arms Race?" He talked about recent discoveries, by RML's researchers and other scientists that may lead to new vaccines, antibiotics, and other ways to control important bacterial pathogens. On September 10, the topic will be "Mad Cow Disease, Chronic Wasting Disease and Related Problems in Humans and Animals: What Are the Risks?" Byron Caughey, Ph.D., who investigates transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs)-devastating brain diseases caused by infectious agents known as prions-will be the lecturer. TSEs, or prion diseases, are found in many different species: chronic wasting disease in deer and elk, scrapie in sheep, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, and mad cow disease. Much has been reported in the media recently regarding the threat of exposure to such diseases through our food, blood supply, and other means. Dr. Caughey will summarize what researchers know about the following questions:
The 45-minute lecture starts at 12:10 p.m. at RML, 903 South 4th Street in Hamilton. The public is invited to bring lunch to the lecture. For more information, contact James Hadley at (301) 496-5717. Roundtable Discussion at U.S. Conference on AIDS To educate community representatives about the various opportunities for community involvement in the research process, the National Community Educators/Coordinators Working Group will lead a roundtable discussion at the U.S. Conference on AIDS. They will address how community is defined in the context of research, the role of the community advisory boards, and challenges for international research. The group, funded by NIAID's Division of AIDS, is comprised of NIAID staff and representatives of community advisory boards and community constituency groups related to AIDS research. For more information, contact James Hadley at (301) 496-5717. NIAAA National Advisory Council Meeting The National Advisory Council of NIAAA will meet on the NIH Campus in the Natcher Building, Conference Rooms E1 and E2. The meeting will include an update on NIAAA's Health Disparities Plan and an open discussion about grant application numbers. There will also be several presentations including one on research priorities by Paul Samuels of the Legal Action Center, a legislative and budget update by Paul Smedberg of the National Health Council, and an overview of stem cell research by Lana Skirboll, Ph.D., NIH Associate Director for Science Policy. Council meetings are open to the public and include space on the agenda for liaison groups and other members of the public to address Council members. Immediately following the close of the official meeting, roundtable discussions will be held with NIAAA director Enoch Gordis, M.D., and other NIAAA senior managers. The meeting agenda and summaries of previous Council meetings can be found on the NIAAA home page at http://www.niaaa.nih.gov. For additional information, contact Kelly Green Kahn at (301) 443-0347, or by e-mail at kgreenka@mail.nih.gov. Celebrating 50 Years of Brain Research On October 9-10, 2001, NINDS and NIMH will present a two-day scientific symposium at Natcher Conference Center in celebration of 50 years of brain research. Presentations will highlight rapidly advancing knowledge in science and technology that will lead to future improvements in the nervous system and to the prevention of major disorders affecting this system. Activities will focus on the scientific accomplishments of the past five decades, especially during the recently concluded Decade of the Brain, and will launch an exciting new era of research made possible by developments such as powerful brain imaging technology. NIH to Hold Fourth Annual Community Health Forum
The NIH Office of Community Liaison will hold a community health forum for its neighbors to showcase what NIH has to offer. This free event, entitled Share the Health: An Exposition of Health Resources from NIH to Its Neighbors, will feature health seminars and screenings, wellness workshops, exhibits by NIH institutes, tours, children's activities and more. Richard J. Hodes, M.D., director of the National Institute on Aging will give the keynote presentation. Come learn about pain management, the "drunken brain," Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, relaxation techniques, and more. Tutorials on accessing health information through the Internet will be available, as well as information on the latest NIH research and volunteer opportunities. Share the Health will take place on Saturday, October 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Natcher Conference Center. For more information or to register for this free event, call Terry LaMotte or Syreeta Tate at 301-650-8660 (TTY users should call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339), e-mail tlamotte@palladianpartners.com, or visit http://sharethehealth.od.nih.gov. NIH Public Outreach Event at the University of
Hawaii The NIH will host a special public outreach event on November 9, 2001, 9-11 a.m., in the East-West Center Auditorium at the University of Hawaii to share NIH resources with the citizens of Hawaii and to provide technical assistance to the scientific research community there. The interested public is invited to hear talks by three keynote speakers:
The event is free. For more information, contact Keith Mattson, University of Hawaii at (808) 547-5646 or Jennifer Gorman, NIH, at (301) 435-4448. As a complement to this event on Friday, the keynote speakers will also be presenting in the following venues:
NIH also will host two days of workshops, November 6-7, on Policies, Procedures, and Funding Opportunities for local researchers. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss Institute/Center- and program-specific issues with NIH staff during planned breakout sessions. Dr. Maddox and Dr. Straus will also speak at this event.
NIH Public Liaison Announcements - Fall 2001 Alcohol Research & Health: Alcohol and Violence The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) released its newest Alcohol Research & Health journal titled "Alcohol and Violence—A Collaborative Review with the National Institute of Justice." This special collaboration was developed to draw attention to the role that alcohol may play in a variety of violent crimes, including homicide, rape, domestic abuse, child abuse, and gang violence. A better understanding of the link between alcohol use and violence will lead to more effective measures for reducing the frequency of alcohol-involved crime and its consequences. To obtain a copy of the journal, write NIAAA, Willco Building, Suite 409, 6000 Executive Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892-7003, or call (301) 443-3860. The issue is also available in full text at the NIAAA Web site, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov. NIAID Web Sites Win Citations That National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' (NIAID's) Web site, http://www.niaid.nih.gov, has won several citations and awards recently. USA Today singled out NIAID's online retrospective of the 20th anniversary of the first government report on AIDS as a "newsworthy hot site." Prepared by the NIAID Office of Communications and Public Liaison and the Office of the NIH Historian, this site features recordings and transcripts of interviews with NIH researchers along with graphics, press releases, and other material. The Mature Market Resource Center presented NIAID with the Spring 2001 World Wide Web Mature Media Bronze Award for a site on a shingles vaccine study. The site was judged for overall excellence of content, design, creativity, and relevance to senior citizens. In addition, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has approved the NIAID site for use in classrooms. The site is now featured among the AAAS recommended online resources on Science NetLinks at http://www.sciencenetlinks.com. The NIAID site was recognized for "uniformly high quality of writing," clear indexing, and easy navigation to well-identified topics. For more information, contact James Hadley at (301) 496-5717. NIAID Hosts Teens Interested in Science Careers NIAID's Division of Intramural Research hosted a busload of students from the National Youth Leadership Forum. During this forum, teens from across the nation converge on the Washington metropolitan area for several weeks during the summer to learn about careers in research. In addition to hearing presentations by scientists, the group toured the NIH Children's Inn. For more information, contact James Hadley at (301) 496-5717. NIMH Fifth Annual Research Roundtable The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) held its Fifth Annual Research Roundtable program on June 15, 2001 in Washington, DC. The Roundtable brings together the Institute's director and staff with representatives from advocacy and professional organizations, providers of mental health services, research scientists, consumers, family members, and others with an interest in mental health. As an integral part of the NIMH priority-setting process, this all-day exchange provides a forum to learn about the views and concerns of those invested in building a carefully planned research program. The range of topics covered this year included a current "state of the Institute" overview; a report on the Institute's review of its mood disorders research; an update on the research portfolio on aging and mental health; breakout sessions on child and adolescent mental health, services research, and translational research; and a discussion on the media, stigma, and educating the public. For more information, visit http://www.nimh.nih.gov/research/roundtable2001.cfm. NIAMS Community Health Center Opens in Washington,
DC In July, a new community health center affiliated with the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) opened as a key initiative in NIAMS' Health Partnership Program, as an effort to address health disparities. The center is located in the Upper Cardozo community. In addition to providing medical care for rheumatic diseases under a natural history (observational) study, the center provides access to other NIH studies aimed at finding improved treatments for these diseases. An open house will be held later this fall to celebrate the opening of the center. An article about the center appears in the August issue of the NIH Office of Community Liaison Update at http://ocl.od.nih.gov/Oclnew1.htm. For more information or to be notified of the open house, contact Connie Raab, NIAMS, at NIAMSPublicLiaison@mail.nih.gov. Rocky Mountain Laboratories Share Science with
Teens Scientists from NIAID's Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Hamilton, MT, teamed up with the Northern Rocky Mountain Tribal Pathways to Academic Excellence in presenting an Introduction to Biomedical Research program to 155 Native American students during a week-long mathematics camp on the shores of Flathead Lake. The program is part of a continuing effort by lab scientists to communicate with students about the nature of scientific research and the work conducted at RML. The program consists of sessions covering blood, genetics, cancer, infectious diseases, and animal research. Each student had the opportunity to perform experiments designed to increase his or her understanding of the topics and the nature of science. NIMH Conference on the Role of Families in Preventing
and Adapting to HIV/AIDS The AIDS Institute at UCLA and the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science cosponsored the annual NIMH Conference on AIDS and Families. The conference began with a Town Hall Meeting on the theme, "Coming Together for Families: A Dialogue Among Families, Providers, Researchers, and Policymakers." U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D. delivered the keynote address. Other distinguished speakers included NIMH Director Steven E. Hyman, M.D.; AIDS Institute Director Irvin Chen, Ph.D.; and Drew President Charles Francis, M.D. To address goals identified in "Healthy People 2010," consensus-building group sessions focused on the family's role in preventing and adapting to HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, and violence; groups presented their conclusions to political, scientific, and public health leaders at the local, community and national levels. Community residents from minority neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles also participated in the meeting. For more information, contact Willo Pequegnat, Ph.D., at (301) 443-6100. CNN Presents Airs "Wasted" CNN Presents featured "Wasted," a one-hour exploration of new and traditional treatments for alcoholism. This program featured the experiences of Megan, a Combining Medications and Behavioral Interventions (Project COMBINE) patient, and those of an anonymous patient in an Atlanta, GA-based, private treatment program. Project COMBINE was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of behavioral treatments in combating alcoholism when used alone or in combination with medications. The Atlanta-based program does not use medications. Patients in both programs participated in 12-Step mutual-help programs. "Wasted" is expected to raise awareness of alcoholism treatment research by reaching an estimated audience of 400,000 people. For more information, visit the CNN Web site at www.cnn.com. For more information about participating in COMBINE, call (866) 80-STUDY or visit www.niaaa.nih.gov and www.clinicaltrials.gov. For additional information about the broadcast, contact Ann Bradley at (301) 443-0595 or by e-mail at abradley@willco.niaaa.nih.gov.
News from the NIH Public Offices of Public Liaison NIAAA Sponsors Symposium on Adolescents and Alcohol As part of its Alcohol Research to Practice Network, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) recently sponsored a one-day symposium, titled "Adolescents and Alcohol: New Knowledge, New Challenges," at the 13th annual conference of the American Psychological Society. The symposium featured presentations by some of the leading alcohol investigators in this emerging field as well as a summary of NIAAA's related extramural research portfolio. Sessions covered such topics as the effects of alcohol on biological, cognitive, and social functioning in adolescence; dimensions of developmentally and contextually appropriate interventions; and the establishment of a transdisciplinary perspective for future research. School administrators, nonprofit prevention program staff, and psychologists interested in adolescent health joined in the discussion throughout the day. For more information, contact Fred Donodeo at (301) 443-6370 or by e-mail at Fred_Donodeo@nih.gov. NIDCD Reaching Out to State and Community Level
Organizations The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) is working with several state and community level organizations to provide health information to the public. In collaboration with the Migrant Clinicians Network (MCN), a national clinical network of health care providers who serve migrant farm workers and other mobile populations, NIDCD is providing publications for professional members and, through them, materials to the populations they serve. In a second outreach activity, information packages have been developed to inform Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) in each state that free publications are available from NIDCD on health topics within NIDCD's mission areas. These PTIs, supported by the U.S. Department of Education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, provide training and information to parents of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with all disabilities. NIDCD's assistance helps parents participate more effectively with professionals in meeting the educational needs of children and youth with disabilities. NIDCD has also sent copies of its Directory of Information Resources for Human Communication Disorders to state offices of rural health, rural health associations, and health education and promotion departments, and has invited them to request additional health information materials. All three outreach efforts have resulted in an increased number of requests for health information on communication disorders from these organizations and from individuals with related organizations, including multiple requests from such states as Wisconsin and Indiana. For more information, contact Marin Allen, Ph.D., at (301) 496-7243. NIDCD Convenes Panel on Communicating the Importance
of Follow-Through After Infant Hearing Screening The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) convened a panel to address key questions on how to ensure that children are not "lost to follow-up" after being identified as having a hearing loss. Experts from fields related to pediatrics, speech and hearing, and communications provided information and recommendations on topics that included 1) current practices; 2) differences in hospital and other newborn nursery systems across the United States; and 3) what parents need to know and how to communicate those needs. In preparation for this panel, NIDCD polled parent and volunteer groups about the practical problems encountered by parents in follow-through. NIDCD is grateful for the excellent participation of COPR member Isaac Montoya, Ph.D., as a member of the panel and for the cooperation of the National Institute of Nursing Research, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Library of Medicine in planning the meeting. For more information, contact Marin P. Allen, Ph.D., at (301) 496-7243 or by e-mail at marin_allen@nih.gov. NIAAA Reveals Increased Risk for Liver Cirrhosis
Death Among Hispanic Americans NIAAA issued a news release on an analysis that revealed for the first time that there is an increased risk of cirrhosis death among male and female Hispanics, compared with non-Hispanic black and white Americans. These findings counter past public perceptions about the risk for Hispanics regarding cirrhosis. Researchers examined death certificates from 1997, the first year in which all states and the District of Columbia included Hispanic origin. For additional information, contact Ann Bradley at (301) 443-0595 or by e-mail at abradley@willco.niaaa.nih.gov. National HIV Vaccine Communications Steering Group The National HIV Vaccine Communications Steering Group met just prior to the AIDS Vaccine 2001 meeting in Philadelphia to continue their discussion concerning the implementation of a national HIV vaccine communications plan. The Steering Group is comprised of individuals from diverse communities and includes recognized leaders in communications, the media, social marketing, community education, health care, HIV advocacy groups, public policy, and HIV prevention. For more information, contact James Hadley at (301) 496-5717. NIAAA Cosponsors Conference on Alcoholism and
Substance Abuse Providers NIAAA will cosponsor the fifth annual statewide conference of the Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers of New York State (ASAP). This conference represents an ongoing partnership between ASAP, NIAAA, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the State of New York, and it focuses on different aspects of moving research into practice. Geoff Laredo, Director of NIAAA's Office of Policy, Legislation, and Public Liaison, will make remarks as part of a panel focusing on "Practice Improvement: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice." NIAAA's Mike Hilton, Ph.D., will also be part of a panel that will focus on practice improvement. Alcoholism and other drug prevention and treatment providers, social workers, administrators, nurses, addiction counselors, advocates, consumers, government officials, physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, policy makers, legislators, and others concerned about alcoholism and substance abuse should attend. For additional information or to register, visit the conference Web site at http://www.asapnys.org or e-mail asap@asapnys.org.
New Publications for the Public "Alcohol & AIDS:" A Guide to Research Issues and
Opportunities The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has released a new pamphlet to provide a foundation for expanded discussions on alcohol and HIV/AIDS. This publication outlines the intersection between the alcohol and HIV/AIDS epidemics and provides information on epidemiological, behavioral, and biomedical research. In addition, research regarding high-risk groups and settings, dual risk groups, and comorbidity are addressed. To obtain a free copy, write NIAAA, Willco Building, Suite 409, 6000 Executive Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892-7003, or call (301) 443-3860.
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