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Mission
The Office of Communications and Public Liaison (OCPL) is responsible
for communicating information on NIH programs and activities to the public,
scientific community, medical profession, and public advocacy groups.
The Office of Communications and Public Liaison (OCPL) is the central
office for communications at the National Institutes of Health. It is
located in the Office of the Director of the NIH; other offices of communications
and public liaison are located in the various Institutes and Centers of
the NIH. The OCPL takes the lead across the NIH on communicating information
about NIH programs, issues, and accomplishments to the public and public
interest groups and, to a lesser extent, to the scientific community and
the medical professions. The office is the communications link between
the Institutes and Centers and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Public Affairs in the Department of Health and Human Services. It also
sets certain communications policies for the NIH and coordinates communications
and public liaison activities across the NIH. The OCPL coordinates how
NIH implements the Freedom of Information Act, and collects and exhibits
medical research instruments and NIH historical information. The office
encourages public participation in NIH activities through the NIH Director's
Council of Public Representatives (COPR) and other means.
OCPL Components
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Public Information
Office (PIO)
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Editorial Operations Branch (EOB)
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Freedom of Information Office (FOI)
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News Media Branch (NMB)
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NIH History Office and Museum
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Online Information Branch (OLIB)
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Offices of Public Liaison (OPL)
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Special Projects Branch
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Visitor Information Center (VIC)
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Public Information
Office
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This office communicates about cross-cutting NIH issues that span
multiple disease categories, or involve medical research policy.
It manages the central news and media operations for NIH and provides
internal and external communications about NIH activities. The office
produces and distributes a number of publications that showcase
NIH research results; provides print, radio and TV coverage of NIH
news and activities, runs the NIH home page, produces the NIH Record;
clears NIH publications through DHHS, conducts tours and orientations
for visitors to NIH, and organizes special events for NIH, such
as building dedications and the annual NIH Research Festival.
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Editorial
Operations Branch
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This office assists in developing public information policies and
programs designed to achieve greater understanding and appreciation
of NIH programs and activities by the public, Congress, media (print),
and medical professions.
The EOB serves as the coordinating office or central source for
NIH Institutes and Centers (IC) in matters related to publications,
including printing, DHHS/PHS/NIH clearance and review procedures,
Joint Committee on Printing, U.S. Congress, and Government Printing
Office printing and binding regulations and copyright rules. Each
year, NIH components produce from 350 to 400 or more publications
of various types: program reviews, descriptions, and analyses, scientific
monographs, journals, and reports, and popular brochures, pamphlets,
and leaflets for the public. The Editorial Operations Branch is
the principal publications review office for NIH.
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Freedom
of Information Office
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This office manages the implementation of the Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA) at NIH; receives and processes FOIA requests submitted
for information within the possession of the NIH; provides FOIA
policy guidance, training, and advice to Institutes, Centers, and
components of the Office of the Director; responds to selected,
highly sensitive FOIA requests; coordinates the response to FOIA
requests involving more than one NIH component; issues all denials
under the FOIA for NIH; provides the NIH position if FOIA decisions
are appealed to the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and helps
the public interested in NIH in use of the FOIA. The FOIA office
maintains two Reading
Rooms, an on-site Reading Room and an Electronic Reading Room.
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News Media
Branch
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This office serves as the central news contact for NIH and maintains
contact with members of the electronic and print media; prepares
and issues feature materials describing NIH programs; produces audio
tapes of health messages and interviews with NIH scientists for
use by radio stations; manages press conferences for the Director
of NIH and other scientists and officials; keeps the NIH leadership
informed about media coverage of NIH issues and programs; and clears
press releases and audiovisual productions with the Office of the
Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs, DHHS before distribution.
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NIH History Office and Museum
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The Dewitt Stetten, Jr., Museum
of Medical Research collects and exhibits biomedical research
instruments and memorabilia, especially those related to the NIH.
Museum exhibits seek to educate the public about the process of
biomedical research and about its achievements, generally focusing
on the research of NIH investigators as case studies.
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Online Information
Branch
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The OLIB provides leadership in the use of computers as communications
tools. The primary focus of the branch is to support and coordinate
the principal NIH Web site (http://www.nih.gov).
In addition, the OLIB manages the NIH Web Coordinating Committee
which provides leadership for the design and content of the NIH
Web site, including reviewing new Web sites before they are integrated
into the structure of the NIH home page; works with other relevant
offices and committees in establishing operational standards and
guidelines for Web sites at NIH; has direct responsibility for several
major areas of the NIH home page that address the special needs
of health care professionals, patients, members of the press, the
public and employees; manages the responses to electronic mail sent
to the NIH home page; provides Web support services and guidance
to other OD offices including the Director, NIH; conducts special
studies on the use of the NIH web including evaluation projects
and manages many of the key areas of the NIH Web site such as: News
and Events, About NIH, Health Information, the Director's page and
Employee Information.
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Offices of Public
Liaison
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The NIH is committed to fostering an environment of public participation.
In support of that goal, the “Get
Involved at NIH” web site provides links to information about NIH’s many outreach efforts, including nationwide
NIH-sponsored events and activities; new publications and resources
for the public; health campaigns; and various avenues for public feedback.
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Special
Projects Branch
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The NIH Special Projects Branch plans, organizes and presents special
public events and functions and conducts tours and orientations
for a wide variety of domestic and international groups visiting
the NIH. This office also operates the NIH Visitor Information Center
(VIC).
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Visitor
Information Center
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| The NIH Visitor Information Center (VIC)
has moved its operations to the Natcher Conference Center (Building
45). Please note the VIC's change of address and contact information
(effective June 2003). |
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Our address
Special Projects Branch
Office of Communications
and Public Liaison (OCPL)
Office of the Director, NIH
45 Center Drive
Room 1AS-13 MSC 6115
Bethesda, MD 20892 |
The NIH Overview
Conducted every Monday,
Wednesday and Friday at 11 a.m.
(No appointment necessary)
Tours of the NIH may be arranged
by appointment.
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Hours of Operation
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday
Phone
(301) 496-1776
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The NIH Visitor Information Center (VIC) serves as an information
liaison and host to visitors to the NIH. The VIC offers maps, directional
information, and a wide selection of NIH publications and brochures.
The staff arranges overviews, tours, meetings, speakers and other
special programs for members of Congress, diplomatic visitors, industry
officials, advisory council members, scientists, students, NIH employees
and the general public.
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