2009-06-18

Senate Committees Develop Health Reform Legislation; Controversies Continue
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on June 9 unveiled the Affordable Health Choices Act, a comprehensive bill that addresses health reform issues under the Committee’s jurisdiction. The Senate Finance Committee was also scheduled to produce a draft bill on June 16, but has delayed the bill’s release. Read more.

HHS Secretary Sebelius Testifies About Proposed Budget as Congress Continues FY 2010 Appropriations Process
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently testified before both the House and Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittees about the department’s FY 2010 budget request. Read more.

NIH Receives 20,000 Challenge Grants Applications; Additional Stimulus Funding Opportunities Available
Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and Acting National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Raynard Kington, MD, PhD, recently announced that NIH had received approximately 20,000 applications for Challenge Grants that are to be funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Read more.

ASH Seeks Input on NIH Proposed Conflict-of-Interest Rules
ASH would like to receive member input as it develops a response to an NIH request on whether the Department of Health and Human Services should amend current regulations governing "Responsibility of Applicants for Promoting Objectivity in Research for Which Public Health Service Funding Is Sought" and on financial conflicts of interest. Read more.

ASH Submits Comments to Federal Council on CER
ASH has submitted a letter of comments to the Federal Coordinating Council on Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) with specific recommendations for CER priorities in hematology. Read more.

Senators Introduce Comparative Effectiveness Legislation
Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) and Senate Budget Committee Chair Kent Conrad (D-ND) introduced legislation on June 9 to establish a private entity responsible for advancing comparative effectiveness research. Read more.

Abstract Submission Open for National Conference on Blood Disorders in Public Health
Abstract submission is open for the upcoming National Conference on Blood Disorders in Public Health.