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Summaries of Meetings
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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council’s Fall Meetings
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On Saturday, October 25, Dr. Alving sat down with participants at a Women’s Issues Conference hosted by Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA) to talk about the results of the Women’s Health Initiative, postmenopausal hormone therapy, and health concerns of menopausal and postmenopausal women. During the 45-minute session titled Hormone Replacement Therapy: Fact and Fiction, Dr. Alving answered questions and discussed information in the NHLBI Facts About Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy booklet, the Food and Drug Administration Menopause and Hormones fact sheet, and Fast Facts on Osteoporosis from the NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases – National Resource Center. She emphasized the importance of diet and exercise to women of any age, and reminded women about the importance of regular visits to a health care provider regardless of whether they take replacement hormones or not.
Members of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council (NHLBAC) were welcomed to the 211th meeting by Dr. Barbara Alving, Acting Director of the NHLBI. Dr. Alving announced that Dr. Claude Lenfant retired as Director of the Institute, effective August 30, and that she is serving as Acting Director until a new director is appointed. Dr. Lawrence Friedman will serve as the Acting Deputy Director in addition to continuing his duties as the NHLBI Assistant Director for Ethics and Clinical Research. Dr. Alving also announced that during September two NHLBI programs will be recognized officially – the Sickle Cell Disease Program and the Cholesterol Education Program.
Dr. Carl Roth, Associate Director for Scientific Program Operation, presented a budget overview for FY 2004. A small increase is projected in the number of research project grants. Dr. Roth then paid tribute to Dr. Claude Lenfant, praising him for his high standards and outstanding leadership. Dr. Lenfant served as the Director of the Institute from July 1982 - August 2003. Dr. David White, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Chair of the Task Force appointed to review the 1996 National Sleep Disorders Research Plan, discussed the Executive Summary of the 2003 Plan.
Dr. John Thomas, Division of Blood Diseases and Resources (DBDR), reviewed the Institute’s stem cell research programs. Dr. Jean Henslee-Downey, DBDR, described the NHLBI Specialized Centers of Clinically Oriented Research (SCCOR) in cell-based therapies for repair and regeneration of damaged heart, lung, and blood tissues. The Council enthusiastically supported these programs. Dr. Raynard Kington, Deputy Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), summarized the recommendations of the Congressionally mandated Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on the organizational structure of the NIH.
During the closed portion of the meeting, the Council concurred on the award of 122 grants for a total cost of $51,527,499.
Dr. Alving, Acting Director of the NHLBI, welcomed members to the 212th meeting of the NHLBAC. She introduced Dr. Robert Jesse, the new ex officio Council member representing the Department of Veterans Affairs, and announced four new Council members, Dr. Roberto Bolli, Dr. Richard C. Boucher, Jr., Ms. Mary H. Deer, and Dr. Robert F. Lemanske, Jr.
Dr. Amy Patterson, Director of the Office of Biotechnology Activities in the Office of the Director, NIH, discussed steps the NIH is taking to harmonize clinical research regulatory policies and processes. Dr. Gordon Bernard, NHLBAC member and Medical Director of the Vanderbilt University Institutional Review Board (IRB), described the challenges faced by the university’s IRB. Council members voted unanimously to send Dr. Elias Zerhouni, Director, NIH, a resolution, which expresses their concerns that the current complexity of regulations to protect human subjects in research settings is limiting scientific progress without necessarily enhancing the protection of subjects.
Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, Director of the Clinical Research Program of the NHLBI Division of Intramural Research, introduced Drs. Neal Young and John Barrett, intramural scientists from the Hematology Branch. Dr. Barrett summarized the progress made in allogenic bone marrow stem cell transplants at the NHLBI over the past decade. Dr. Young reviewed the research undertaken by the Hematology Branch involving intensive immunosuppression of severe aplastic anemia.
Dr. Friedman, Acting Deputy Director, NHLBI, recommended that at least 15 percent of the competing T32 budget be devoted to new awards and returning to two application receipt dates with applications funded bi-annually. The Council agreed with the recommendations. Dr. Bruce McManus, Scientific Director of the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), described the mission of the CIHR and the activities of the ICRH. He discussed three joint research initiatives that are part of the Canada – U.S. Collaboration in Circulatory and Respiratory Health.
Sixteen initiatives were presented to the Council for their approval. The Council was supportive of all submitted proposals, with members making selected recommendations for their improvement. Dr. Alving will take them into consideration, along with other budget issues, when determining which proposals to implement.
During the closed portion of the meeting, the Council concurred on the award of 196 grants for a total cost of $118,697,000.
The next National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council (NHLBAC) meeting is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. on February 12, 2004. It is open to the public and will be in NIH Building 31C, Conference Room 10.
The FYI from the NHLBI staff thanks Ms. Sue Byrnes, member of the NHLBAC and Director of the LAM Foundation, for her efforts in preparing this summary. Full minutes of Council meetings are available.