AAMC commends Congress for overriding
Medicare veto
Last week, Congress overrode President Bush's veto
of the "Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of
2008," thereby securing 18 months of AAMC-supported Medicare physician
payment relief. The new law averts immediate reductions in Medicare
physician payments by extending, through Dec. 31, the 0.5 percent
payment increase that expired this month and by establishing a 1.1
percent increase for next year. In a statement applauding members
of Congress for their action, AAMC President and CEO Darrell G.
Kirch, M.D., said, "We hope legislators realize that temporarily
adjusting physician payments, without attending to broader issues,
could have a devastating effect on the millions of Medicare patients
who count on the nation's 100,000 teaching physicians for routine
care, as well as services unavailable elsewhere in their communities."
Testing organizations express
concern about amendments to ADA legislation
The AAMC joined seven standardized testing organizations in a joint
letter to Congress expressing concern about proposed legislation
to amend the "American Disabilities Act" (ADA). The "ADA Amendments
Act" would broaden the definition of "disability," which the U.S.
Supreme Court has narrowed through a variety of court decisions
since the 1990 introduction of the ADA. The testing organizations
note that the proposed amendments
would have unintended and negative consequences on groups that rely
on standardized tests, on higher education, and on the public. The
letter notes that a change in the qualifications for special testing
accommodations "raise three main areas of concern: score comparability,
fairness, and issues of public health and welfare." The ADA Amendments
Act was passed by the House of Representatives; similar legislation
is under discussion in the Senate.
AAMC, associations comment on dual-use oversight
framework
The AAMC and five other higher education and science associations
have submitted written comments
to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on a proposed
framework for oversight of "dual-use" biological research-research
that could be misused to harm society. The oversight framework is
a product of the National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity,
which last year submitted the draft document to HHS and the Bush
administration for review. The associations' comment letter urges
the administration not to develop regulation or guidance until several
aspects of the framework, including provisions affecting university
obligations under an oversight system, can be better defined. The
letter recommends continued communication with the scientific community,
as well as public education on the issue to help develop better
consensus on what constitutes dual-use research and the precautions
needed to minimize risk of misuse. The proposed framework remains
under review by HHS, with input from other agencies, including the
White House Homeland Security Council. The comment letter, led by
the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, was
endorsed by the AAMC, the Association of American Universities,
the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Council
on Governmental Relations, and the National Association of State
Universities and Land-Grant Colleges.
AAAS seeks nominees for scientific
freedom award
Individuals and associations that have been frontrunners in ensuring
the continuation of scientific freedom are eligible to be nominated
for the Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award. Given by the
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the
award
is bestowed upon those who act to protect the welfare of the public,
participate in the formulation and/or discussion of public policy,
inform the public of the impact of scientific and technological
innovations, and defend the rights of scientific researchers and
engineers. The recipient will be honored at the AAAS annual meeting
in Chicago next year and will receive $5,000. Nominations are due
Sept. 1.
Nominations open for biomedical
ethics award
Nominations are currently being accepted for the Patricia
Price Browne Prize in Biomedical Ethics. The award was created
in 2003 as a tribute to Browne, who dedicated much of her life to
improving the health care of women and children and upholding ethical
standards. Ideal candidates should be committed to improving biomedical
ethics through service and/or contribution and serve as a role model
or thought leader for addressing and improving these issues in health
care. The bi-annual award of $10,000 is funded by the Patricia Price
Browne Distinguished Chair and the Children's Medical Research Institute
and is administered by the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.
Nominations are due Oct. 1.
On the move
Keith A. Joiner, M.D., M.P.H., has stepped down as dean of the
University of Arizona College of Medicine and vice provost for medical
affairs. He will return to his faculty position as professor of
medicine, public health, and cell biology and anatomy. He will also
direct the state-wide Health Research Alliance Arizona program.
Steve Goldschmid, M.D., has been appointed interim dean of the
University of Arizona College of Medicine campus in Tucson. He is
currently head of the department of medicine.
William F. Bina III, M.D., M.P.H., has been appointed interim dean
of the Mercer University School of Medicine. He was previously chair
of the school's department of community medicine. Martin L. Dalton,
Jr., M.D., dean of the medical school since 2005, retired on July
1.
Kenneth P. Kates has been named associate vice president and chief
executive officer of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, effective
Sept. 15, pending approval by the board of regents. He is currently
a health care consultant.
