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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ'S)Given the large amount of questions and feedback we've received from CARRA members to date we are providing you with the following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's).
Q. What kind of activities do CARRA members participate in at
NCI?
Last Updated on September 1, 2004 * Table does not reflect the total number of CARRA members who have participated in NCI activities because NCI staff may ask for more than one CARRA member in a request.
Q. Will NCI provide funding to my constituency or group to disseminate NCI information? A. As CARRA members, we appreciate the time and effort you take to share NCI news with your constituency or group. However, NCI cannot provide funding to a constituency or group for information dissemination.
Q. Will NCI pay me to participate in CARRA activities? A. CARRA members may or may not receive an honorarium for NCI activities in which they have been invited to participate. Awarding of an honorarium is up to the discretion of the NCI activity contact.
Q. Can I lobby Congress as a CARRA member? A. You CANNOT lobby as an official CARRA member. CARRA members are prohibited from lobbying during all CARRA activities from the time the activity starts to the time the activity ends. This prohibition also means that CARRA members should not attempt to further their own agendas while participating in CARRA activities. NCI is a government agency and by law CANNOT lobby or influence Congress. You may choose, however, to prepare a letter to Congress as a private citizen, but you CANNOT in any way represent NCI or claim that you speak for NCI.
Q. Is the CARRA program currently accepting applications? A. Yes. NCI is currently accepting applications for the 2004-2007 term. For more
information on the CARRA program, selection criteria, and the application
process, visit the announcements section.
Q. Is there a list of CARRA members available? A. Yes. Many CARRA members have chosen to identify themselves as CARRA members to the public. See our member roster for the current list. Please remember that this list contains only those CARRA members who have signed a release form allowing the NCI to publicly identify them as CARRA members. This is not a complete list of CARRA members. If you are a CARRA member who would like to make a change to your listing, please send an email to ncicarra@mail.nih.gov with your preferred name and the name of your advocacy organization. Please allow up to 4 weeks for this change to take effect. If you are a CARRA member who would like to be listed on the website but is not listed currently, please send an email to ncicarra@mail.nih.gov requesting a release form. We must have your signature to release your name.
Q. Are we locked into only one track (science or communication) for the duration of the three-year term? A. You are not locked into any particular track. If you decide to change your track, during the three-year term, please let us know. Your track decision should be based on your greatest experience and expertise.
Q. Who will provide me with the activity information when I am asked to participate? A. The NCI staff member requesting your participation is your "activity contact." Your activity contact will provide you with all the necessary information like travel documents, meeting logistics, and preparation materials to review.
Q. Can we see an update of on-going assignments/activities or reports on past activities in the form of a summary so that uninvolved CARRA members can see what may be on the horizon? A. We are currently working on an evaluation of the CARRA program, including past and present projects. We will let you know when a report will be available.
Q. Can we see the demographic breakdown of the CARRA membership (i.e. geographic region, cancers, etc.)? A. CARRA members represent 24 major and rare cancer types, and 38 states and 2
U.S. territories. Thirty percent of CARRA members are members of a minority
group, and 35% are men. In addition, some CARRA members are able to represent
pediatric cancer interests or rural areas of the U.S. Q. Do CARRA members have access to the NCI Director's Consumer Liaison Group (DCLG) meeting dates and topics/agendas? A. Although NCI cannot pay, CARRA members are welcome to attend DCLG meetings, listen to teleconference calls, and view the agendas and meeting minutes. The DCLG meets twice a year in-person and holds teleconference calls in between. Although CARRA members may not participate in the DCLG discussions, there is time set aside during each meeting for public comment. CARRA members may speak during the public comment period or submit written comments for the record. Upcoming DCLG meetings include:
To view meeting agendas, please visit the DCLG website at:
http://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/ADVISORY/dclg/dclg.htm. Q. Can we ask NCI if we can attend meetings and conferences as an official CARRA member and ask NCI to pay for it? A. No, you cannot ask NCI to pay for you to attend meetings and conferences as
an official CARRA member, which you request to attend. The only situation in
which NCI can pay for travel expenses for CARRA members is when an NCI staff
member calls to ask you to participate in an activity. That occurs when an NCI
staff member call and ask you to participate in an activity.
A. Yes, there is a press release (sent out in a previous e-mail) available to CARRA members for use through your communication channels. If you need another copy of the release, please contact the LA office. If you are featured in the media, we ask that you let us know so that we are aware of your work in the advocacy community.
Q. How do I get copies of published scientific papers written by
researchers at A. To search for published scientific papers written by researchers at NCI, please visit the National Library of Medicine's website at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/.
A. To find out more about these issues and others, please visit http://www.cancer.gov. Click on "About NCI." Then, click on "Plans and Priorities for Cancer Research." A. There is no set schedule or timeline of when you will be called upon for a specific activity, such as a peer review or a focus group to test a new publication. Once Liaison Activities receives a request for CARRA involvement in an activity, a match between the kind of activity offered, your expertise, and your interests will determine your participation. When you will be called really depends on the kinds of requests Liaison Activities receives. Therefore, you act as a "ready and waiting" advocate, available to NCI when called upon. When you are called to participate, someone outside of the Liaison Activities will contact you. If they do not identify the activity as a CARRA activity, please confirm with them that you are participating as a CARRA member. A more detailed explanation on the selection process can be found on the CARRA website, by reading the section called "How Am I Selected For An Activity"
A. The purpose of the CARRA program is to bring the perspectives of those affected by cancer, specifically of your constituency or group, to the on-going activities of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Your constituency or group is the organization indicated on the CARRA acceptance form as the one you can best represent. NCI does not assign you a specific constituency or group to represent. Being a CARRA member means that you have a specific role to play and responsibilities to your constituency or group and NCI. They are listed in no particular order: While you are waiting to be called for a specific activity:
Once you have been called to participate in a specific activity:
You may review your roles and responsibilities in more detail on the CARRA
website at: http://la.cancer.gov/carra.
Please note that it is not feasible for the entire CARRA membership to meet in
person.
Questions? Comments? Please e-mail us at: ncicarra@mail.nih.gov.
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