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National Commission on Digestive Diseases: Remarks from the NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D.

National Commission on Digestive Diseases: Remarks from the NIH Director
Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D.
Director
National Institutes of Health

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Digestive Diseases in the U.S.

• >70 million people affected
• 1.4 million disabled
• ~$86 billion in annual direct medical costs
• Wide range of organs affected
• Spectrum of conditions
• Society uncomfortable with openly discussing digestive dysfunction

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Digestive Diseases in the U.S.

• September 2006:
  E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak in U.S.

• Severe diarrhea and 3 deaths linked to tainted spinach

• ~200 people affected across 26 states

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NIH-supported Research Progress in Digestive Diseases

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease: understanding of immune basis, genetic risk factors, and development of therapies

• Colon Polyps/Cancer: natural history and prevention

• Viral Hepatitis: groundbreaking research leading to interferon therapy for hepatitis C; work leading to highly effective hepatitis B prevention in the U.S.

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National Commission on Digestive Diseases

• Established July 2005 based on shared interest of NIH, Congress, and stakeholders in strengthening efforts to combat digestive diseases

• Chair: Dr. Stephen James, Director, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, NIDDK

• Members: 16 external, appointed members; ex officio members from NIH and other agencies

• Stakeholder input

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National Commission on Digestive Diseases

Charge

1. Conduct overview of the state-of-the-science in digestive diseases research
2. Develop a long-range (10-year) plan for digestive diseases research that is consistent with the NIH research mission and recommends to the NIH and Congress ways to propel future research advances, with the ultimate focus of improving the nation's health

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NIH Congressional Appropriations

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Slide 7 of graphical version (PDF, 1.5MB)

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NIH Digestive Diseases Research Funding

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Slide 8 of graphical version (PDF, 1.5MB)

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Bold Vision for Challenging Times NIH Roadmap for Medical Research

Themes include:

• Broadening the NIH vision through stronger trans-NIH research coordination and planning

• Promoting research to transform medicine

• Protecting new investigators

• Improving communication of the return on NIH research investments

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Importance of NIH Digestive Disease Research Planning in Challenging Times

• Digestive diseases span missions of several NIH components

• During periods of tight NIH budgets, strategic research planning takes on even greater importance for maximizing research/health "return" on the investment of limited funds

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Strengthening Trans-NIH Coordination and Research Planning

• FY 2006 - National Commission on Digestive Diseases (NCDD) :  Involves 13 Institutes and Centers
• FY 2004 - Roadmap for Medical Research:  Involves entire NIH
• FY 2005 - Action Plan for Liver Disease Research:  Involves 17 Institutes and Centers
• FY 2007 - Office of Portfolio Analysis and Strategic Initiatives (OPASI):  Involves entire NIH

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Promoting NIH's Vision for the Future of Medicine

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Slide 12 of graphical version (PDF, 1.5MB)

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Protecting Future Investigators Pathway to Independence Award

• Five years of support consisting of two phases

• Phase I provides 1-2 years of mentored support for advanced post doctoral fellows- 90k per year

• Phase II provides up to 3 years of independent R01 equivalent research support - 250k per year

• NIH aiming for 150-200 awards per year

  • Received ~700 applications so far
  • First award announcements this Fall
    

http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators/index.htm

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Proactive Communication about Investment in NIH

• NIH Homepage

  • More than 40 Fact Sheets

  • State-by-state Funding Data

  • Newsletter from NIH Director

http://www.nih.gov/about/researchresultsforthepublic/index.htm

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Coming to Your Doctor's Office: Free, Authoritative, Up-to-Date
Health Information

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Slide 15 of graphical version (PDF, 1.5MB)

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National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/

http://www.celiac.nih.gov/

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NIH-supported Digestive Diseases Research Efforts in the News

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Slide 17 of graphical version (PDF, 1.5MB)

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Guidance for the Commission

• Consider opportunities for synergy between the research plan for digestive diseases and areas emphasized in the NIH vision

• Consider that effective recommendations for advancing NIH-supported digestive diseases research will:

  • Be ambitious but feasible

  • Promote cross-cutting and innovative research

  • Identify opportunities for translating research from basic to clinical settings

• Continue to benefit from broad stakeholder input

NIH: Transforming medicine and health through discovery