IC Directors’ Meeting Highlights — Thursday, March 8, 2018

Announcements

Dr. Collins provided a summary of the White House Summit on Opioids, as well as an update on efforts of the NIH’s Advisory Committee to the Director Opioid Working Group. He also reminded the IC Directors of Health and Human Services Secretary Azar’s visit to NIH on March 20. In addition, Dr. Collins shared that on March 12, he will host Dr. Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group, for a screening of the documentary, Bending the Arc, which captures efforts by Dr. Kim; doctor and humanitarian Paul Farmer; activist Ophelia Dahl; and local communities to deliver world-class care for complicated diseases such as multidrug resistant tuberculosis and HIV, in the most impoverished settings in Haiti.

ReImagine

Dr. Tabak provided a brief update on NIH’s efforts for the ReImagine HHS initiative. Optimize NIH will examine how to improve effectiveness and efficiency in the areas of ethics, committee management, and Freedom of Information Act activities.

Loan Repayment Program

Dr. Mike Lauer presented on NIH’s loan repayment program.