Member Organizations

Zerhouni Meets with  Behavioral and Social Science Advocates 

American Educational Research Association

Emphasizing that there needs to be a balance in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) research portfolio, NIH Director Elias Zerhouni explained that his Agency is confronting a “new frontier.”  At the same time NIH is facing “a challenge in the social and behavioral sciences,” he emphasized.  In a meeting with the Coalition for the Advancement of Health Through Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (CAHT-BSSR) on October 31, Zerhouni echoed many of the remarks he made before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services and Education earlier in the month.  (See Update, October 21, 2002).  

Zerhouni further explained to the group of representatives of social and behavioral science organizations that it is his view that “discoveries cannot be made without interdisciplinary teams and multidisciplinary studies.”  The challenge over the next 25 – 50 years is to modify the spectrum of diseases that will increase the already large health care burden we will confront if we do not address this reality.  The disease burden will become an ever-larger part of health care spending if we do not, he emphasized.  Accordingly, stressed the Director, “we cannot ignore the behavioral and social sciences.”  

Explaining that his is a systematic view of NIH’s research portfolio, Zerhouni indicated that he would like to prioritize the 10 areas that get 80 percent of the payoff.  The NIH, he continued, is not oblivious to behavioral and social scientists.  To further illustrate this point, he observed that behavioral and social scientists are at the forefront on issues related to obesity.  

Noting that Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR ) “is doing an excellent job,” he praised the work that the Office and its Director Raynard Kington are doing on behalf of the social and behavioral sciences.  He further observed that at this year’s annual NIH Director’s retreat,  many of the long-time institute directors shared with him that there was greater discussion of social and behavior science than at any time in the past.   

Training:  Creative Leaders Needed 

Acknowledging NIH’s role as a leader in directing training resources to health research in the behavioral and social sciences, CAHT-BSSR inquired of the director what steps he might take to ensure NIH training resources continue to address the growing demand for social and behavioral scientists in diverse backgrounds and disciplines in the health sciences, and how NIH can adequately incorporate research on social and behavioral factors for a stronger, more valid health research enterprise.   

The Coalition noted that its organizations “strongly believe that the 2000 National Research Council (NRC)/Institute of Medicine report, Addressing the Nation’s Changing Needs For Biomedical and Behavioral Scientists, misconstrued the central issue that the health sciences face.  It was also emphasized that the Coalition shares the perspective of John Kihlstrom’s (a member of the NRC Committee that completed the report) minority position:  It is not how many behavioral and social scientists there are, but how many are doing critical research related to health and health care.  (See Update, September 11, 2000). 

The challenge is to prepare the scientific teams of the future, responded Zerhouni.  He observed that science has changed and that there are needs for large scaled data bases, advance analysis, and objective measures and markers.  The 21st Century problem is that we have a variable, diverse population that makes research very difficult to do.   

Training, related Zerhouni, is “very important” to him, pointing out that he would like to get a view across the disciplines.  Training “clearly needs to be looked at as a system.  How does it accomplish the goal?,” he asked.   “I need creative leaders,” he added and noted that he was just starting to look at training across the NIH.  According to Zerhouni, his examination of the NIH training system will look “all the way back,” including looking at the training provided to high schools by the NIH.   

Restructuring the NIH 

Zerhouni communicated that his views regarding the restructuring of NIH “have evolved but not changed” as he has become more familiar with the Agency.  He noted that it “not realistic” to believe that there will be a wholesale restructuring of the NIH.  He shared his view that there will be resistance to merge or eliminate Institutes and Centers as has been proposed a number of times.  It will be hard to change authorized entities, he further noted.  Citing the OBSSR as a good example, Zerhouni emphasized that there are alternative ways to achieve desired outcomes.  The exercise of looking at possible restructuring opportunities, however, is a task he welcomes, he reiterated.  Zerhouni added that the practice of having an outside analysis, now underway at the National Academies, is useful to any organization. 

The Coalition echoed his concerns and stated that the social and behavioral sciences feel strongly that they have benefited greatly by OBSSR’s work reaching out to the Institutes and Centers and would not want to see a restructuring plan jeopardize the very effective work of that Office. 

‘You Can Do Basic Research from All Spectrums of Science’ 

Responding to the group’s concerns of ways to strengthen support for basic social and behavioral research at NIH, Zerhouni stressed that he does not subscribe to the conceptualization of research into basic, translation, and application.  He also emphasized that “you can do basic research from all spectrums of science.”  According to Zerhouni, he divides research into “discovery research” and “application of derivative research.”  Discovery research, he related, “is knowledge that was not known before.”  It does not imply molecules and pipettes, he further noted.  What is currently being called basic research by many is “fill in the blank research” from his perspective.  He argued against the need to create “symbolic labs.”  At the end of the day, “people make the difference,” the Director said. 

He stressed that the NIH needs leaders who are “creative and visionary.” “Leadership needs to come from the bottom up,” he asserted and cited newly appointed National Institute of Mental Health Director Thomas Insel as an example of the type of leader he is seeking.  (For more on Insel, see Update, September 23, 2002).   

‘Health Disparities Should Permeate the Entire Concern of NIH’ 

When it comes to health disparities research, Zerhouni expressed his hope that health disparities would become “a core measure.”  To call it a priority is “wrong.” A priority, from his point of view, related Zerhouni, implies that it is temporary.   “Health disparities should permeate the entire concern of NIH,” he stressed.  The National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities should be a fulcrum for many of the Institutes, according to the Director.  It is clear to him that “it is a priority that needs to be ingrained until it is no longer a priority.”  But it is not yet core, he concluded. 

National Children’s Study 

CAHT-BSSR informed the Director that the National Children’s Study (NCS), which has been mandated, but not funded, by the 2000 Children’s Health Act is of concern to the Coalition because of the size and implications of the study.  The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) has the responsibility for coordinating the study across the NIH as well as all of the Federal government.  It is it feared by supporters of the Institute that the study will supplant resources dedicated to other areas if sufficient additional resources are not allocated to NICHD.  

Zerhouni agreed and likened the study to “an ark.”  One needs to be very careful and thorough going forth, he noted.  It is important to understand the ins and outs of the study.  He acknowledged that the interagency budget required to go forth with the NCS is “very complicated.” 

CAHT-BSSR is co-chaired by COSSA’s Associate Director for Government Affairs Angela Sharpe and the American Psychological Association’s Senior Science Policy Analyst Patricia Kobor.  Other Member organizations include:  American Anthropological Association,  American Educational Research Association, American Sociological Association, National Council on Family Relations, Institute for the Advancement of Social Work, National Association of Social Workers, Population Association of America, The Association of Population Centers, Society for Research in Child Development, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, Center for Advancement of Health, The Federation of Behavioral, Psychological, and Cognitive Sciences, and Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States.