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Summary of the NIH International Representatives MeetingJanuary 9, 2007
Dr. Roger Glass, Director of Fogarty International Center and Dr. James Herrington, Director, Division of International Relations (DIR) Fogarty International Center (FIC), welcomed the IC representatives to the FIC Conference Room at the NIH Stone House. Dr. Glass provided updates to the group noting that: (1) FIC strategic plan process is moving along and IC input/feedback will continue to be solicited; (2) Dr. Karen Hoffman's group has been tasked to assemble the NIH International Health Activities Report, ICs are being asked to provide the necessary input/info to Karen; and (3) IOM plans to review their 1997 report on "America's Vital Interest in Global Health" to see where things stand 10 years later. NIH Authorization Bill: Mr. Marc Smolonsky, NIH Associate Director for Legislative Policy and Analysis, discussed the new NIH Authorization Bill. The original Authorization Bill was passed in 1944 as the "Public Health Service Act." While there are 27 ICs, only 25 are authorized by Congress under this bill. Under House and Energy and Commerce Committee hearings, an idea was raised to induce greater collaboration among the various ICs. During Dr. Harold Varmus' tenure as the NIH Director, he had proposed condensing the 27 ICs into six main clusters. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) was asked to review Dr. Varmus' proposal. The IOM agreed that a more trans-NIH integrated approach to research was needed and suggested a creation of an escrow account which would allow trans-NIH research costs to be shared but the institutes would remain separate. Congress approved the recent Bill which sought to capture key elements of the IOM recommendation. Dr. Zerhouni's "common fund" was incorporated in the re-Authorization Bill. The common fund starts at 1 to 1.5 percent of the NIH budget with a review trigger when it reaches 5 percent. Other items addressed in the Re-Authorization Bill are: (1) The Office of Portfolios and Strategic Analysis will determine the funding amounts and where the resources will be directed; (2) Trans-NIH research is underway through the Office of Women's Health, AIDS, and other groups as a part of the NIH planning process. These groups will work together while maintaining separate authorities. The idea is for them to operate as a center with counsels and institute centers with Directors; (3) The Scientific Management Review Board creates authorization levels and makes recommendations for changes; and, (4) It creates a uniform budget coding for infectious diseases research, and a 'bridging sciences' mandate for collaboration with other agencies. USAID and International Health Activities: Dr. Elizabeth Fox, Deputy Director of the Office of Health, Infectious Diseases and Nutrition in the USAID Global Health Bureau discussed USAID international health efforts. Dr. Fox addressed four items: (1) Organization of USAID: As an agency, USAID will continue to operate independently as an U.S. Government agency but will have some of its functions merge with Department of State (i.e., security, procurement, etc); (2) Restructuring of the organization: A strategic Framework for Foreign Assistance has been established. Establishing a management process will help improve the organization. This will assist USAID leadership in concentrating on their focus, delegation of authority, human resources activity, and tracking where the funding is going; (3) International Health area: Topics under health was listed in a handout at the meeting; (4) Research: Not a USAID focus, per se, but USAID does assist developing countries in building the framework for decision-making that will facilitate access to opportunities that science holds to ensure the safe and effective application of research technology. Announcements: Gray Handley introduced Katherine Perry, Health Specialist, who is working for NIAID based in Abuja, Nigeria. Katherine has eleven years of experience working in Nigeria and has worked with Gray's group at NIAID for two years. Even though she is an NIAID staffer, she is available to assist all NIH travelers to Nigeria and has asked that she be informed of all NIH travel to Nigeria KMperry@niaid.nih.gov. ICs indicate it may be helpful to know where other NIH staff members are stationed overseas. Dr. Glass, in his final remarks, encouraged the IC representatives to make recommendations to FIC as to guest speakers for future meetings. Next Meeting: March 13, 2007, at 1 p.m. in the NIH Stone House. Attendance: Archives of Past IC Reps Meetings
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