HEALTH HIGHLIGHTS

September 30, 2022 | Lewis-Burke Associates LLC
Programming note: Lewis-Burke Health Highlights will not publish during the Congressional recess, which extends until the midterm elections on November 8.

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Washington Prognosis: Congress Extends Government Funding and Heads Home to Campaign
• White House Releases National Strategy and Holds Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health 
• NIH Health Disparities Interest Group Holds Inaugural Workshop on Integrating Social Determinants in Biomedical Research 
• AHRQ Releases Call for Nominations to Scientific Peer Review Committee 

NON-NIH GRANTS
 

Washington Prognosis: Congress Extends Government Funding and Heads Home to Campaign

Congress passed a short-term funding bill that will avoid a government shutdown and continue current spending levels until December 16.  The bill also provides funding for additional items, including aid for Ukraine and domestic natural disasters, as well as a five-year reauthorization of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) user fee programs.  The bill passed the Senate on Thursday by a vote of 72-25, and was approved by the House on Friday by a vote of 230-201.  Leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee said they would continue negotiations over policy riders that were to be added to the user fee bill, before Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) pushed for a clean five-year reauthorization.  Both the House and Senate will now be on recess until after the midterm elections on November 8 as Members return to their home districts to campaign. 
 

White House Releases National Strategy and Holds Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health 

On September 28, the Biden Administration convened a White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, the first of its kind in more than 50 years.  Ahead of the Conference, the Administration announced more than $8 billion in new public and private sector commitments and released a National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, which calls for a whole-of-government approach involving more than a dozen federal agencies to address the challenges of widespread malnutrition, diet-related diseases, and access to healthy foods with the goal of ending hunger in America and increasing healthy eating and physical activity by 2030 to reduce the prevalence of chronic disease.   

The National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health describes concrete actions that federal agencies and broader society can take to achieve the Administration’s 2030 goal, categorized by the five Conference pillars: (1) improve food access and affordability; (2) integrate nutrition and health; (3) empower all consumers to make and have access to healthy choices; (4) support physical activity for all; and (5) enhance nutrition and food security research.  The Strategy calls for expanded access to “food is medicine” interventions, nutrition and obesity counseling for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and calls for the creation of a pilot program to test covering medically tailored meals under Medicare to treat diet-related diseases.  The Administration affirmed its commitment to universal screening for food insecurity in federal health care systems and supports incentivizes for hospitals to provide services addressing food insecurity and SDOH.  Participants highlighted the current opportunity to build an innovation ecosystem around food, and urged a reimagination of the structure of healthcare finance and the overall healthcare experience to prioritize prevention strategies.   

The National Strategy describes plans to strengthen and diversify the nutrition workforce, stating a goal to have the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) support the training of over 4,500 nutrition professionals and more than 30,000 practicing professionals over five years to obtain competencies in pediatric obesity prevention, household food security, and nutrition during pregnancy.  HRSA would work with Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) to recruit and train individuals from underrepresented groups to serve as nutrition professionals.  

Within Pillar 5, the National Strategy calls for increased funding for nutrition research, and states that in collaboration with external experts, the Interagency Committee on Human Nutrition Research and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) will evaluate scientific gaps and priorities in nutrition research.  It also outlines the Administration’s plans to ensure diversity and inclusion in nutrition and food security research.  The Strategy notes that ACL is creating an older adult Nutrition Research agenda, and will work with external partners to develop a long-term framework to improve quality of care services.  HHS additionally intends to utilize the NIH Climate Change and Health Initiative to explore the impacts of climate change on nutrition security and the quality of food on population health.  

In panel sessions to discuss the fifth Pillar, enhancing nutrition and food security research, participants stressed the role of research in designing and scaling pilot programs to address food insecurity.  Panelists argued that program leaders should be better connected to researchers about ongoing efforts to evaluate its effectiveness and what resources are necessary for the program to continue and better reach communities. They also argued that academics can use research to inform policies and program development.  One research panel, focused on advancing equitable research, emphasized the importance of community-involved research and building a diverse research workforce, arguing that without the perspective of individuals with lived experience on the research team, the project cannot achieve its intended outcomes.  They further pointed out that at the conclusion of the project, academics must then be actively involved in making sure the data are used for advocacy and making meaningful changes.  

In her address, House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) reaffirmed her interest in making increased investments in food and nutrition.  Representative DeLauro directly called on President Biden to include plans discussed during the Conference and in the National Strategy in his FY 2024 budget request to enable crucial initiatives to move through the appropriations process.   
 

NIH Health Disparities Interest Group Holds Inaugural Workshop on Integrating Social Determinants in Biomedical Research 

This week, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Health Disparities Interest Group (HDIG) held its inaugural workshop on Integrating Social Determinants and Structural Influence Measures in Biomedical Research.  The NIH HDIG was established in 2014 with the goal of understanding health disparities and elucidating biological, clinical, behavioral, social, and population intervention research to reduce health disparities.  The workshop emphasized the Biden Administration’s continuous prioritization of eliminating health disparities through biomedical research and highlights NIH’s focus on social determinants of health (SDOH) to identify interventions that promote health equity. 

The workshop sessions described the importance of considering SDOH when conducting biomedical research to avoid publication of biased or misleading results that may be applied to the general population and ultimately, contribute to additional disparities.  Additionally, other sessions highlighted the challenges that investigators face in using SDOH as key variables in their research, including the lack of standardization in data collection and storage as well as data sharing within the greater research ecosystem.  For more information about using SDOH as measures in biomedical research, use the NIH-developed PhenX Toolkit as a resource. 
 

AHRQ Releases Call for Nominations to Scientific Peer Review Committee 

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) issued a notice calling for nominations of members of populations underrepresented in medicine to serve on the AHRQ Initial Review Group (IRG).  The IRG is responsible for the scientific peer review of AHRQ health services research and training grant applications and is comprised of five subcommittee or study sections, each with a particular focus. The five study sections include:  

• “Health Care Effectiveness and Outcomes Research: End-stage renal disease; cardiovascular disease; pediatrics; pharmacologist in opioid management; biostatisticians in health services research; health disparities and social determinants of health.  
• Healthcare Safety and Quality Improvement Research: Pharmacists with expertise in informatics; infectious diseases specialists; geriatricians; surgeons with a specialty in diagnostic error; health disparities and social determinants of health.  
• Healthcare Information Technology Research: Biomedical and consumer health informatics; family medicine; health care data analysis; health information technology; health services research in patient-oriented research; electronic health record and data for research; population-based studies in medicine; epidemiology; telehealth/telemedicine; emergency medicine; insurance benefit design; chronic condition care; natural language processing and machine learning; social networking and its determinants of health; health disparities and social determinants of health.  
• Healthcare Systems and Value Research: Health statistics; health care outcome research; evaluation and survey methods; health system and service research; health care policy research; health economics research; large database analysis; private health insurance/Medicaid and Medicare; learning laboratory development; health disparities and social determinants of health.  
• Health Care Research Training: Clinicians with knowledge of health policy; Medicare and Medicaid; addiction medicine; health disparities and social determinants of health.” 

The notice includes additional information on study section rosters, study section descriptions, and study section research foci.  AHRQ is seeking nominations from the public, including Minority-Serving Institutions, academic health centers, community-based organizations, and professional societies.  Nominations are due December 31, 2022 and can be submitted by email to dsr@ahrq.hhs.gov.  
 

NON-NIH GRANTS Opportunities are sorted with those posted most recently at the top of the table. OPPORTUNITY NUMBER OPPORTUNITY TITLE AGENCY NAME CLOSE DATE RFA-TS-23-001 Identify and Evaluate Potential Risk Factors for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA 1/5/2023 PA-22-255 AHRQ Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award (K01) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 11/9/2025 HRSA-23-078 Family Engagement and Leadership in Systems of Care Health Resources and Services Administration 1/3/2023 HRSA-23-004 Preventive Medicine Residency Health Resources and Services Administration 11/21/2022 HRSA-23-023 Service Area Competition Health Resources and Services Administration 11/14/2022 HRSA-23-074 Infant, Child, and Adolescent Preventive Services (ICAPS) Program with Additional Funding for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Activities Health Resources and Services Administration 12/14/2022 PA-22-251 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-sponsored National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 8/8/2025 RFA-HS-22-010 AHRQ National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (T32) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 12/1/2022 RFA-OH-23-001 Exploratory/Developmental Grants Related to the World Trade Center Health Program (R21) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA 12/6/2022 HRSA-23-043 Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Evaluation Cooperative Agreement Health Resources and Services Administration 10/31/2022 HRSA-23-030 Rural Health Network Development Program Health Resources and Services Administration 11/22/2022 HRSA-23-082 National Maternal and Child Health Data Resource Center Health Resources and Services Administration 11/16/2022 HRSA-23-029 FY 2023 National Training and Technical Assistance Partner (NTTAP) Cooperative Agreements Health Resources and Services Administration 10/14/2022 PA-22-238 AHRQ Conference Grant Programs (R13) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 10/31/2026 HRSA-23-022 Service Area Competition Health Resources and Services Administration 10/11/2022 PA-22-232 AHRQ Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 2/13/2027 RFA-FD-23-002 Academic Development of a Training Program for Good Laboratory Practices in High Containment Environments (U24) Clinical Trials Not Allowed Food and Drug Administration 10/3/2022 RFA-CE-24-001 Grants for Injury Control Research Centers (ICRC) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA 1/6/2023 HRSA-23-061 Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program (HTPCP) Health Resources and Services Administration 10/12/2022 RFA-OH-22-006 Commercial Fishing Occupational Safety Training Project Grants (T03) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA 1/31/2028 RFA-OH-22-005 Commercial Fishing Occupational Safety Research Cooperative Agreement (U01) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA 1/31/2028 RFA-FD-23-001 Clinical Studies of Orphan Products Addressing Unmet Needs of Rare Diseases (R01) Clinical Trials Required Food and Drug Administration 10/25/2022 NAP-AX-22-001 Leading Edge Acceleration Projects (LEAP) in Health Information Technology Office of the National Coordinator 9/30/2027 PA-22-168 AHRQ Administrative Supplements for Grants in Health Services Research Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 4/11/2027 PAR-22-063 CVM Vet-LIRN Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Program (U18) Clinical Trials Food and Drug Administration 2/10/2024 PA-22-049 AHRQ Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award (K01) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 3/12/2025 PA-22-051 AHRQ Mentored Career Enhancement Awards for Established Investigators in Patient-Centered Outcome Research (K18) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 7/12/2025 PA-22-050 AHRQ Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) Mentored Clinical Scientist Career Development Award (K08) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 3/12/2025 RFA-OH-22-001 NIOSH Education and Research Centers Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA 2/24/2025 RFA-OH-22-003 Occupational Safety and Health Training Project Grants Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA 10/24/2025 PA-22-047 Large Research Projects for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (CARB) (R01) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 10/30/2026 PA-22-048 Large Health Services Research Demonstration and Dissemination Projects for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (CARB)(R18) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 10/30/2026 RFA-OH-22-004 World Trade Center Health Research related to WTC Survivors (U01-No Applications with Responders Accepted) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA 12/6/2022 PA-21-267 Making Health Care Safer in Ambulatory Care Settings and Long-term Care Facilities (R18) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 5/26/2024 PA-21-265 Large Research Projects for Prevention of Healthcare-Associated Infections (R01) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 5/26/2025 PA-21-266 Patient Safety Learning Laboratories: Advancing Patient Safety through Design, Systems Engineering, and Health Services Research (R18 Clinical Trial Optional) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 1/26/2023 PA-21-264 Large Health Services Research Demonstration and Dissemination Projects for Prevention of Healthcare-Associated Infections (R18) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 5/26/2025 PA-21-202 AHRQ/PCORI Learning Health System Small Grant Pilot Program Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 6/19/2023 PAR-21-179 Minor Use Minor Species Development of Drugs (R01) Food and Drug Administration 2/2/2024 PAR-21-178 Drug Development Tools Research Grants (U01) Clinical Trial Optional Food and Drug Administration 5/3/2023 RFA-FD-22-001 Efficient and Innovative Natural History Studies Addressing Unmet Needs in Rare Diseases (R01) Clinical Trials Not Required Food and Drug Administration 2/13/2024 PA-21-164 Using Innovative Digital Healthcare Solutions to Improve Quality at the Point of Care (R21/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 7/17/2024 PA-20-068 Improving Quality of Care and Patient Outcomes During Care Transitions (R01) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 12/6/2022 PA-20-067 AHRQ Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award (K01) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 11/13/2022 RFA-CE-20-001 Evaluating Practice-based Programs, Policies, and Practices from CDCs Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) Program: Expanding the Evidence to Prevent Sexual Violence Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA 12/16/2022 PAR-19-306 FDA Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (R13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Food and Drug Administration 10/11/2022 PAR-18-812 Occupational Safety and Health Research (R01) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA 11/17/2023 PAR-18-798 NIOSH Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program (R21) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA 11/17/2023 PAR-18-799 K01 Mentored Research Scientist Development Award Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA 11/17/2023 PAR-18-797 NIOSH Small Research Grant Program Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA 11/17/2023 PA-18-794 AHRQ Small Research Grant Program (R03) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 7/8/2023 PA-18-795 AHRQ Health Services Research Projects (R01) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 7/8/2023 PA-18-765 AHRQ Health Services Research Dissertation Program (R36) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 5/1/2023 PAR-18-604 Vet-LIRN Network Capacity-Building Projects Food and Drug Administration 9/2/2023 PA-17-232 AHRQ Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality 9/30/2022