Communications Pause at Federal Health Agencies
On January 21, 2025, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Acting Secretary Dorothy A. Fink, MD, issued a directive, Immediate Pause on Issuing Documents and Public Communications, in effect through February 1. Dr. Fink instructed HHS agency leaders – …
SMRB Meets to Discuss NIH Reorganization
On January 10, the reconstituted Scientific Management Review Board (SMRB) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) met for the second time, following its inaugural meeting in November 2024. Members convened virtually via Zoom, with the meeting open to the …
NICHD Advisory Council Holds Winter Meeting
The National Advisory Child Health and Human Development (NACHHD) Council met on January 13-14, 2025, for its winter meeting. This meeting brought together experts and leaders in child and maternal health to discuss strategic initiatives, research advancements, and policy updates …
NIH Releases New Public Access Policy
In mid-December, NIH Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli shared the NIH’s new Public Access Policy, with the goal of facilitating access to articles resulting from NIH funding. The previous policy had been in place since 2008. The announcement highlighted the most …
NASEM Issues Report on Understanding and Addressing Misinformation About Science
Misinformation about science has long been a public concern and the Covid-19 pandemic and our current information ecosystem have only exacerbated this problem. In 2022, the Board on Science Education of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) …
FABBS Comments on the NIH Minority Health and Health Disparities Strategic Plan for 2026-2030
| Agency and Academy Activities
The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) recently issued a request for information (RFI) soliciting feedback on the NIH-wide Minority Health and Health Disparities Strategic Plan for 2026-2030, which will guide NIH in setting scientific goals in …