March 2003

 IC International Representatives Meeting

March 11, 2003

                                                    Summary

Welcome and Introductions of guests:  Dr. Sharon Hrynkow, FIC Deputy Director, welcomed the IC representatives to the Stone House, the location for all future meetings of this group, and welcomed back Dr. William Steiger, Special Advisor to the Secretary for International Affairs.

NIAID Office of Global Affairs

Dr. Karl Western gave a brief overview of the new NIAID Office of Global Affairs (OGA/NIAID), which is officially established, but not yet staffed or fully operational.   Exact responsibilities and division of labor between OGA and other NIAID units are not yet worked out.  One area in which OGA may be involved relates to NIAID scientific staff assigned overseas.  Dr. Western will provide more details at a later date.

Update on the Global Forum for Bioethics in Research

Dr. Gerald Keusch, FIC Director, provided an update on the activities of the Global Forum for Bioethics in Research.  He gave a brief history of the Forum, noting that it was initiated by FIC to provide investigators from developing countries an opportunity to connect with each other and with organizations that support clinical trials. The first meeting, held in Bethesda in1999, was attended by 120 people, 75% of those were from developing countries.  Several ICs provided conference grants to support those participants.  The next fora were held in Bangkok, Johannesburg, and Rio de Janeiro on diverse topics, including bioethics as related to genetic research and community benefit sharing of research results.

The 5th Forum will be organized by INSERM and will be held in Paris.  Dates are not firm, but INSERM expects a Forum in spring.  The major topic will be ethics, intellectual property rights, and traditional knowledge.  To support the activities of the Forum for the next five years, FIC, CDC, The Wellcome Trust, the UK Medical Research Council, The Rockefeller Foundation, and Aga Khan University have agreed to provide funding. 

Dr. Keusch encouraged the ICs to participate and invited them to provide input for the meeting agenda.

  OS Perspective on International Health Issues

Dr. William Steiger, Special Assistant to the Secretary, opened his remarks by thanking the ICs for the technical assistance they provided to prepare the Secretary for his participation in the WHO Executive Board meeting in January.  He noted that the focus of this meeting was on the selection of the new Director General.  The Executive Board nominated Dr. J. W. Lee, a WHO official previously involved in major TB efforts. 

Dr. Lee’s nomination will be ratified at the May meeting of the World Health Assembly. 

Among the issues to be addressed by the Health Assembly will be the adaptation of a resolution on the research burden of measles and the Brazilian proposed agenda item on innovation in public health and intellectual property. 

Dr. Steiger recapped the highlights of the fourth Board meeting of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS/TB and Malaria, held January 29-31 in Geneva.  He noted that Secretary Thompson was elected Chairman of the Board.  From this second round of proposals submitted, the Board approved 98 new grants from 60 countries in the amount of $866 million for two years in the following research areas: 60% AIDS, 25% malaria, and 15% tuberculosis.  He remarked that the Global Fund has modeled its grant application and management process after the NIH.  The Board meeting in June will focus on policy issues and fundraising.

In light of the current situation, Dr. Steiger spoke briefly on HHS guidelines for international travel.  He emphasized that travel does not need to be postponed at this time, but that travelers need to be prudent.  Travel should be deferred to countries where embassies are staffed by essential personnel only.  He noted that the embassies in Israel and Turkey have requested that travel to those countries should be postponed.  HHS is preparing protocols on procedures for emergencies.

Dr. Steiger summarized the upcoming travel of Secretary Thompson.  In April (Easter) the Secretary will visit Rome for discussions with the Ministry of Health on cancer and tobacco issues and meet with Vatican staff on family and life issues, HIV/AIDS, famine in Africa; and FAO.  On May 19, he will travel to Geneva to attend the World Health Assembly (with NIH representation).

Dr. Steiger also mentioned the new emergency fund for HIV/AIDS, modeled after the MTCT, and noted that HHS is working with national, federal, and international organizations.  The Steering Committee will review the initiative later in the summer, with input from WHO and UNAIDS.

It was announced that Dr. Mirta Roses took office as the new Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on February 1, becoming the first Argentine and first woman to lead the Organization.

The next meeting of the IC Representatives will be held on May 13 in the Stone House.

Attendance:

Dr. Gerald Keusch, Director, FIC; Dr. Sharon Hrynkow, Deputy Director, FIC; Ms. Minnie Rojo, Director, Division of International Relations, FIC; Ms. Chris Keenan, Executive Secretary, FIC; IC Reps: Dr. James McKearney, NCI; Mr. John Whitaker, NEI; Ms. Helen Wegman, NHLBI; Ms. Peggy Murray and Ms. Isabel Ellis, NIAAA; Dr. Karl Western, NIAID; Dr. Dan Raiten, NICHD; Dr. Pat Needle, NIDA; Dr. Jose Serrano, NIDDK; Dr. Juan Ramos and Dr. David Lozovsky, NIMH; Dr. Yuan Liu, NINDS; Ms. Linda Cook, NINR; Dr. Anthony Demsey, OER; Dr. Mary Frances Picciano, ODS; Dr. Paul Gaist, OAR; and FIC staff Mr. Kevin Bialy, Ms. Emmy Cauthen, Dr. Pierce Gardner, Mr. George Herrfurth, Dr. Allen Holt, Ms. Judy Levin, Ms. Sonja Maderas, Dr. Jeanne McDermott, Dr. Kathy Michels, Dr. Rachel Nugent, Dr. Aron Primack, and Dr. Luis Salicrup.