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| ASN Health and Nutrition Policy Newsletter |
Week of
October 25, 2017
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ASN News
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Call for Applications: 2018 ASN Science Policy Fellowships
ASN is now accepting application packets for the
2018 ASN Science Policy Fellowship.
ASN will offer two Science Policy Fellowships in 2018 for advanced graduate students, early professionals, postdoctoral trainees, or medical interns, residents, or fellows. Science Policy Fellows will be based at their home institution during the one-year Fellowship. ASN Science Policy Fellows gain an enhanced perspective on public policy issues related to nutrition, including an expanded understanding of current nutrition policy issues and initiatives. The Fellowship will facilitate the acquisition of skills and tools necessary to become well-informed advocates for nutrition research and policy. The deadline to submit
application packets
is Monday, December 11, 2017. Please send completed application packets as well as any questions regarding the Fellowship to
[email protected]
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ASN Member Research Funding Support Survey
One of ASN's top priorities is advocating for nutrition research funding. In order to achieve this goal for increased support of nutrition research most effectively, we need your help! Please take a few minutes to complete this
brief survey
which will give us a better understanding of the federal funding agencies that best support ASN members, the impact of your important work, and how ASN can best serve you. Presenting the real life success stories of our members and their research can make all the difference when Congress votes on research funding levels. Please contact Sarah Ohlhorst at
[email protected]
with any questions. We appreciate your taking the time to help us help you in Washington! Please complete this
brief survey
by October 31, 2017.
ASN Supports2017 NOCW
ASN is a proud National Obesity Care Week (NOCW) supporter! NOCW will be held October 29th - November 4th and is dedicated to bringing awareness to the complexity of obesity, the life experience of those with obesity, and corresponding care challenges. The week is also meant to stress the importance of science-based interventions and practices for obesity treatment and management. Take the
Take 5 Pledge
today and join our efforts to improve obesity care!
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Congressional Action
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Senate Budget Considered and Approved
The Senate, by a slim vote of 51 to 49, passed the
2018 budget proposal
on October 19. The lack of specific instructions, as seen in this
summary proposal
, stresses the concept of making room for tax reform. Without specific numbers, one can only speculate what the impact on research or nutrition programs would be. The Senate proposed budget appears to be quite different from the House passed budget. The Senate did not set cost savings targets for Committees; however, there is a stated assumption that $21 billion will be found in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) farm programs over a decade but this figure is not binding. Many do not believe that the Committees will ever make reductions to farm programs, but, if adopted, the budget reconciliation permits a vote on the tax reform bill to only require 51 votes.
Action or No Action on Health Care Reform?
The question of how the Senate and then House will proceed on health care reform after several attempts at repeal and replace have failed is still unanswered. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Patty Murray (D-WA)
introduced the compromise
they have been working on for several months which offers some stability to the health exchanges for two years. The pathway to passage remains unknown. This bill includes funding through 2019 for Obamacare's cost-sharing program, which the President halted last week. It would allow states to use existing Obamacare waivers to approve insurance plans with "comparable affordability" to Obamacare plans. But it would notably not allow states to change baseline requirements for what a health insurance plan must cover. One bill, the CHAMPION act which covers the health care for children and funding for community health clinics has passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee but floor time has not been scheduled. That bill includes a $6.35 billion cut (FY19-FY26) to the Prevention and Public Health Fund, but several panel members expressed strong support for the Fund during the deliberations. The future of the Prevention Fund remains uncertain. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing about workplace wellness initiatives which seemed to curry favor with the vast majority of senators. Trust for Americas Health has completed an excellent
analysis
of prevention funding and the impact of reductions on each state.
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Administrative Action
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Trump Nominations Moving Slowly
Almost 10 months into an Administration, it is critical to have the leadership in departments to carry out the policies set forth by the President, the agency's statutory obligations, and the annual appropriations. To date, the estimates suggest that less than 300 of the 1242 positions have been filled. Some filled positions are again vacant. In the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Secretary has resigned and has been replaced by now acting secretary, Dr. Don Wright, a family medicine physician who has held various senior executive positions in federal government. Dr. Francis Collins remains head of National Institutes of Health (NIH). At the USDA, the Deputy Secretary Steve Censky has been approved by the Senate; however, vacancies remain in the positions of Undersecretary for Food and Nutrition, Undersecretary for Research, Education and Economics, and the Chief Scientist. Opposition to Sam Clovis, the nominee for the two research-related positions, remains strong. Dr. Ann Bartuska, acting USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, has retired after 27 years of federal service. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Purdue assigned Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Director Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young to serve in that capacity.
NIH to fund Centers of Excellence on Minority Health and Health Disparities
The NIH is launching
twelve specialized research centers
designed to conduct multidisciplinary research, research training, and community engagement activities focused on improving minority health and reducing health disparities. The centers, to be funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), part of the NIH, will share approximately $82 million over five years, pending the availability of funds.
NSF Search for Assistant Director of BIO Directorate
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is initiating a national search for the Assistant Director for Biological Sciences (BIO) and seeks your assistance in the identification of visionary candidates to lead the Directorate during the coming years. The next Assistant Director will have opportunities to shape future research and education in the biological sciences as well as ensure that BIO is a key participant in NSF's expanding efforts to support convergence research.
The AD/BIO serves as a key member of NSF's senior management and policy team and provides leadership and direction to the Directorate's programs and initiatives. The incumbent is responsible for planning and implementing programs, priorities, and policy within the framework of statutory and National Science Board authority. NSF seeks a candidate with outstanding leadership abilities; a deep sense of scholarship; a grasp of the issues facing the biological sciences in the areas of education and research; and a commitment to the goals and strategies of the NSF.
Please send your recommendations, including any supporting information which you might be able to provide, to the AD/BIO Screening Committee via e-mail (
[email protected]
) or at the following address: National Science Foundation, Office of the Director, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA, 22314. We would appreciate receiving your recommendations by November 10, 2017.
NIH Issued Two Single IRB Guidance Documents
NIH has released two guidance documents to help the extramural research community implement the final NIH policy on the use of a Single Institutional Review Board (sIRB) for Multi-Site Research.
NSF BIO Directorate to Shift to "No-Deadline" Proposal Submission Process
The NSF Directorate for BIO issued a
"Dear Colleague" letter
notifying researchers of plans to implement a "no-deadline" format for receiving and reviewing proposals. The new format will be implemented in all four BIO divisions beginning with proposals submitted for funding in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. By removing application deadlines, BIO hopes to make the proposal submission process more convenient for investigators' schedules and allow research ideas to be better developed.
Effective January 2018, the Division of Environmental Biology and the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems will suspend their use of the preliminary proposal submission process. Proposals submitted for FY 2018 funding opportunities will be reviewed and awarded using existing processes. New funding opportunity announcements without deadlines will be issued for FY 2019 funding by mid-2018. Additional clarifications regarding the policy change and its implementation can be found in the associated FAQs.
CDC released the latest Vital Signs on Cancer and Obesity
National Library of Medicine seeks comments
A recent
Request for Information
issued by the National Library of Medicine seeks input on new data science research initiatives that could address key challenges currently faced by researchers, clinicians, administrators, and others, in all areas of biomedical, social/behavioral and health-related research. Input is requested by November 1.
Adoption of the FDA Food Code
USDA Secretary Recommends Shifting Codex Office to Trade Office
USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue has recommended that the USDA Codex office, which works internationally to create food safety standards, be moved from Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to its newly created trade department. The FDA has raised concerns with this plan stating, "FDA strongly believes that moving Codex to the oversight of a trade-promoting, non-science organization could undermine the credibility of U.S. Codex as a science-based enterprise." The FDA's comments have been submitted to the USDA but not publicly posted yet.
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| National Initiatives |
FASEB Released Shared Research Resources
The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) released the report "
Maximizing Shared Research Resources
," which identifies the value and challenges of shared research resources and offers ten recommendations for improvement. FASEB's
Shared Research Resources Subcommittee
led the development of this report, using findings from the survey conducted last winter, engaging shared research resource providers and users.
John Milner Nutrition and Cancer Prevention Research Practicum
The 2018 John Milner Nutrition and Cancer Prevention Research Practicum will take place March 12-16, 2018, and is
now accepting applications
- application deadline is
December 1
. This week-long educational offering provides specialized instruction about the role of diet and bioactive food components as modifiers of cancer incidence and tumor behavior, and engages participants through didactic and interactive experiences.
NASEM Releases Sugar Sweetened Beverage Report
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's (NASEM) Food and Nutrition Board convened a workshop to explore the range of policies and programs that exist at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels to limit sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in children birth to 5 years of age. They have released the
proceedings
of this workshop titled Strategies to Limit Sugar Sweetened Beverage Consumption in Children.
CBPP Releases Report: Child Poverty at Record Low
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) has
released a report
in which they detail the connection between the decrease in childhood poverty rates and the implementation of government policies.
Chicago Repeals Soda Tax and Michigan Preempts Soda Taxes
The Cook County Board repealed their soda tax by a vote of 15-2. The penny-per-ounce tax on soda and other sugary drinks imposed in the Chicago area on August 2 will end on December 1. It was repealed due to a large negative response from constituents. Even though no municipalities in Michigan are currently pursuing a soda tax, the Michigan State Senate has voted to preempt local districts from implementing food and beverage taxes.
Blueprint for Family Wellness
The Moving Up Stream Improvement Network has released a blueprint titled, "
When Health Care Partners outside Clinic Walls to Optimize Family Health
." Communities that participated in the Moving HealthCare Upstream Improvement and Learning Network set out to design and test innovative care concepts that enable organizations from different sectors to work as a single system to improve family health and social outcomes. This report details the most impactful outcomes from their work.
ILSI Seeks Editor-In-Chief for Nutrition Reviews
The International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) invites
applications and nominations
for the position of Editor-in-Chief of the peer-reviewed journal Nutrition Reviews. Since 1942, Nutrition Reviews has been a trusted source of information for scientists, scholars, and policy makers seeking balanced and critical coverage of the broad range of topics in nutrition. It is the most highly cited monthly review journal in the nutrition and dietetics field. The incoming editor will guide the journal's editorial direction and provide sound stewardship. Tenure is anticipated to begin by May 2018. An MD and/or PhD is required. Candidates should have a strong record of recognized scholarship, a broad base of knowledge, demonstrated leadership and communication skills, a keen interest in emerging areas of science, and appropriate time to devote to the journal. Awareness of the potential clinical implications of covered topics is a critical criterion.
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| Meetings |
Rigor in Science: The Challenge of Reproducibility in Biomedical Research
The Keynote Symposia is sponsoring a
virtual symposium
to discuss the reproducibility in biomedical research. In this discussion, we consider the issue of data reproducibility in preclinical research through a biological lens, focusing on often-neglected variables such as sex, age, microbiome, and circadian rhythms. The roundtable brings together stakeholders from across the biomedical enterprise to explore practical ways of controlling for these variables to maximize the translational potential of preclinical research. The symposium will be held on November 8 from 2:30-4:00pm.
Update to RSVP Deadlines for NIFA Stakeholder Listening Sessions
A series of four in-person
listening sessions
hosted in different regions across the country and submission of written comments will offer two ways to share your thoughts and ideas. Individuals wishing to attend in-person listening sessions must complete their RSVP via the
input form
.
Geriatric Public Health Outcomes Webinar
Systems for Action, a Robert Woods Johnson Foundation program, is
holding a webinar series
of about research in progress. On November 2, the webinar will be on "Community Complex Care Response Team to Improve Geriatric Public Health Outcomes."
Big Cities Health Inventory Data Platform and Policy Pages
Sponsored by the Big Cities Health Coalition, this November 16
webinar
will discuss data platforms designs to easily explore snapshots of a city's health, compare data across indicators or jurisdictions, share visuals on social media, or download the full dataset for further analysis.
Third Annual 1890's Land-Grant Communications Summit
This year USDA NIFA is hosting the annual 1890's
Land-Grant Communications Summit
November 6-7 in Washington, DC
. This is a two-day event in which 1890 land-grant communications professionals share best practices, provide training, and present solutions for common obstacles faced when supporting the institutions.
NSF National Science Board
The National Science Foundation will hold its quarterly
National Science Board meeting
November 8-9 in Alexandria, VA. The meeting is open to the public. Public agendas are usually available one week before the meeting.
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| Funding Opportunities |
SOBC Funding Opportunities
The NIH Common Fund for Science of Behavior Change (SOBC), which focuses on research across disciplines on the initiation, personalization, and maintenance of behavior change, has a number of current funding opportunities.
Applicants are required to use at least one SOBC Research Network assay. The assays are accessible through the
SOBC Measures Repository
.
Pre-application Technical Assistance webinars
will be held on
October 26 at 1:00pm ET and October 30 at 12:00pm ET
.
NIGMS Pre-Doctoral Institutional Training Grants
The NIH National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) issued a new
Funding Opportunity Announcement
(FOA) for pre-doctoral institutional training grants (T32s). This FOA will replace the current
Parent T32 Announcement
for all applications submitted to NIGMS after January 2018. New application and submission information can be found in Part 2, Section IV.2, and new review criteria in Part 2, Section V.1.
NIFA Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program
The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
requests applications
for the Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program for fiscal year 2018. The Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program funds two types of grants, Community Food Projects and Planning Projects. Eligible applicants include public food program service providers, tribal organizations, or private nonprofit entities, including gleaners. Applications are due December 4.
PHI Leadership Academy
The Public Health Institute is accepting applications for the
National Leadership Academy for the Public's Health
from teams in the Appalachian and Mid-regions of the United States.
For communities that are engaging in cross-sector work to improve the public health, this is a unique opportunity to boost your team's capacity and skills through a community leadership process.
Applications are due January 12.
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| International |
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FAO/WHO Calls for Experts and Data on Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance
In recognition of the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and its increasing threat to human health, the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) agreed it was important for the food safety community to play its part and re-established the ad hoc codex task force on AMR. One of the objectives of the task force is to revise the current Codex Code of Practice to Minimise and Contain Antimicrobial Resistance (CAC/RCP 61-2005)1. In order to ensure that this revision is based on the most recent evidence and scientific analysis regarding foodborne AMR, Codex issued a request for scientific advice to FAO and WHO in collaboration with OIE2. In order to address that request FAO and WHO, in collaboration with OIE are planning a series of expert consultations to firstly address the risk assessment aspects and then request the risk management component of the request for scientific advice. Nominations are due by December 31, 2017. See the
call for experts
for more information on qualifications and how to apply. There is also a
call for data
to provide current and new data relevant to the development and transmission of foodborne antimicrobial resistance through the food chain.
Dietary Reference Values for Sodium in the EU
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is seeking
public comments
on a draft Scientific Opinion on the Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) for sodium. In particular, it is seeking feedback on the way it plans to select and use evidence in its assessment. The EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) has developed a protocol describing the steps to be followed for the collection, selection, appraisal and integration of the evidence. The draft opinion and protocol will then be revised considering the comments received and the completed assessment, including recommendations on DRVs, will be made available for a second public consultation.
IPES-Food Report Connects Food and Health
The International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food) released a
new report
which discusses possible connections between health conditions and industrial food and farming practices. The report was released at the United Nations (UN) Committee on World Food Security and cites
occupational hazards facing food and farmworkers.
2017 Global Hunger Index Released
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) released its
annual report
on global hunger. The report found that global hunger levels are down by 27 percent since 2000 but there are 52 countries with levels of hunger that are characterized as serious, alarming, or extreme. The UN has set a Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger by 2030.
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