Key Policy Issues

  Human Participants Protection -- With heightened awareness after the death of a research participant at the University of Pennsylvania and reports of abuses that led to temporary suspensions of research activity in other places, the protection of human research subjects has drawn the major attention of government and non-governmental bodies.  A flurry of activity is underway to assess and strengthen the system of assuring that people who volunteer to participate in research are not subject to harm.  Attached is a compilation of  COSSA Washington Update articles on the many activities surrounding the issue.  more

  Office of Educational Research and Improvement  (OERI)  -- The reauthorization of the OERI is overdue, and Congress will likely take this up in 2002.  OERI provides essential support for the improvement of American education by building knowledge about teaching and learning and helping to stimulate improvements in education policy and practice.  Attached is a compilation of  COSSA  Washington Update  articles surrounding OERI.  more

Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP)

Senate Passes Education Bill; School Research Still Threatened

  WRITTEN CONSENT MEASURE THREATENS RESEARCH, AGAIN -  June 2001

 COSSA's Open Letter to Congress regarding the mission of the National Institute of Mental Health

 National Institutes Peer Review Reorganization

COSSA's Comments to the Center for Scientific Review Panel on Scientific Boundaries Report, October 15, 1999

Center for Scientific Review Panel on Scientific Boundaries for Review

Panel on Scientific Boundaries for Review, Update, January 10, 2000

  NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Review Integration

COSSA's Comments on the NIH Behavioral and Social Science Review Integration

Final NIH Behavioral and Social Science Study Section

Freedom of Information Act/OMB Circular A-110  

COSSA's letter to F. James Charney at the Office of Management and Budget

OMB Completes Work on A-110 Data Sharing and FOIA

 Youth Violence Initiative in Senate Funding Bill

Chart:  National Institutes of Health  FY 2000 Funding