In Brief
BPS Congressional Fellowship Applications Open for 2020-2021
Senate Appropriations Postpones Budget Mark-Ups Until Further Notice
UK Researchers Fear No-Deal Brexit Under New Prime Minister
NIH Releases Details About New Fetal Tissue Research Policy
Senators Introduce Bill to Reduce Drug Prices Developed from NIH Funds
Science in the News
BPS Congressional Fellowship Applications Open for 2020-2021
Interested in using your science skills to inform science policy? Does spending a year working on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, helping develop policy sound exciting? The Biophysical Society’s Congressional Fellowship program is your opportunity to participate directly in the process of law-making that impacts how research is funded and regulated. This year-long opportunity provides fellows a chance to utilize their science knowledge to inform the public policy process. Fellows will gain firsthand knowledge and experience on how Congress works, and participate in the esteemed AAAS Science and Technology Fellows program that provides ongoing training and networking opportunities during the fellowship year and beyond. The application deadline is December 20, 2019.
Senate Appropriations Postpones Budget Mark-Ups Until Further Notice
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor-HHS was due to begin mark-up of the FY 2020 spending bill this morning, with the full Appropriations Committee beginning its work on September 12. Just prior to the hearing’s start Congressional Quarterly (CQ) reported that the mark-up has been postponed until further notice until "lawmakers and staff can reach an agreement about what constitutes a 'poison pill' amendment." CQ also reports that disagreements remain about the 302(b) allocations for the nondefense bills.
UK Researchers Fear No-Deal Brexit Under New Prime Minister
Scientists in the United Kingdom (UK) are concerned about the new Prime Minister’s prior support for Britain’s departure from the European Union (EU) without an agreement in place -- a situation deemed inconducive for collaborative science. Scientists have long warned that a no-deal Brexit would be devastating for research, as it would disrupt scientific collaborations, hiring, and travel and result in UK researchers likely losing access to three major funding streams under the EU’s Horizon 2020 research funding program. No agreement with the EU might also mean uncertainty in the import and export of scientific supplies and equipment. Boris Johnson hopes to negotiate a new Brexit agreement but has said that the UK will leave the EU by the October 31, 2019 deadline if no agreement is reached. The EU indicated in June that the departure agreement was no longer open for renegotiation, but that they would consider discussions about their future relationship with the UK.
NIH Releases Details About New Fetal Tissue Research Policy
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a formal notice on July 26 revealing details about how the administration will implement the new restrictions on the use of human fetal tissue in research. The policy will not go into effect immediately and will apply to grant proposals and cooperative agreements that have due dates on or after September 25, 2019. Currently active grants or grant applications already submitted for review to NIH won’t be impacted.
Previously, university officials were only required to certify that the tissue would be obtained in accordance with federal ethics regulations. Starting September 25, scientists applying for grants for research involving human fetal tissue from elective abortions will be required to:
- Justify the need for use of fetal tissue for the proposed research,
- Explain why the research goals cannot be accomplished using an alternative,
- Provide details regarding procurement and costs,
- Provide information about how the tissue will be used,
- Explain how they will dispose of the tissue when the research is complete,
- Describe the process they will use to obtain consent from a woman having an abortion for using the fetal tissue.
Senators Introduce Bill to Reduce Drug Prices Developed from NIH Funds
Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Rick Scott (R-FL) August 1 introduced the We PAID (Protect American Investment in Drugs) Act of 2019. The bill would limit the cost of prescription drugs developed from technology patented by the federal government or developed from research that was supported by federal funds. A reasonable cost for a given drug would be determined through a report by the National Academy of Medicine and by a newly established Drug Affordability and Access Committee.
Science in the News