JULY 2009
COLLINS NOMINATED TO LEAD NIH
President Obama has selected distinguished geneticist, Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., as nominee to fill Agency's top post
Ending months of speculation, President Obama has named distinguished physician-geneticist Francis Collins to head the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Read more
FDA GRANTED HISTORIC AUTHORITY TO REGULATE TOBACCO
Agency seeking public input on the implementation of new authority
During a White House ceremony on June 22, President Obama signed The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act into law, officially granting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate the production and marketing of tobacco products. Read more
SENATE HEARING INVESTIGATES CANCER RESEARCH GRANT PROCESSS
Senator Specter convenes field hearing to examine NCI's process for awarding breakthrough research
Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) heard testimony from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a panel of cancer researchers in the Philadelphia region on July 6 about the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) process for awarding innovative ideas and projects. Read more
OPINION EDITORIAL: AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION
We need to stop cancers and other diseases before they start
By Ethan Dmitrovsky, M.D.
It's a sad truth: Half of the men in this country and a third of the women will likely be diagnosed with cancer sometime during their lifetimes. Read more
DEMOCRATS ACHIEVE FILIBUSTER-PROOF MAJORITY U.S. SENATE
Franken of Minnesota claims 60th Democratic Senate seat
Nearly eight months after Minnesota's disputed Senate race in November 2008, Al Franken, a former comedian and author, was sworn-in to the Senate on July 7 as the state's junior Senator. Read more
RECOMMENDATIONS ON COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS RESEARCH RELEASED
The Institute of Medicine and the Federal Coordinating Council on Comparative Effectiveness Research provide advisory reports to the President and Congress
Two advisory committee reports were released late last month that provide guidance for advancing the use of comparative effectiveness research aimed at better understanding and comparing the clinical merits of different treatments, devices and procedures. Read more
NEW GUIDELINES FOR STEM CELL RESEARCH IN EFFECT
NIH has issued final rules for federally sponsored embryonic stem cell research
The National Institutes of Health has released final rules for federally funded stem cell research. Read more
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