The National Institutes of Health published it new strategic plan for 2021-2025 stating its three objectives, plan framework, and bold predictions. 

View and download plan framework here. 

View and download "Bold Predictions here. 

NIH STRATEGY 

To carry out its mission and optimize return on public investment, NIH has designed a strategic Framework that includes three key Objectives that align with the agency’s goals. These three Objectives outline NIH’s priorities in (1) biomedical and behavioral research areas, (2) research capacity, and (3) research conduct. Across all of these priorities, NIH emphasizes several Crosscutting Themes—approaches that are common to all Objectives of the Strategic Plan—including improving minority health and reducing health disparities; enhancing women’s health; addressing public health challenges across the lifespan; promoting collaborative science; and leveraging data science for biomedical discovery. Examples of these important crosscutting topics are located throughout the three Objectives. 

View and download the full NIH Strategic Plan here. 

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Deadline extended to August 12, 2021 - The Portes Foundation, in association with The Institute of Medicine of Chicago (IOMC), is soliciting proposals for research projects in health promotion and disease prevention. Please share this letter with colleagues who may be interested.

Generally, the Portes Foundation has funded grants between $25,000 and $30,000.  Grants are awarded for one-year projects. The principal investigator must be a MD, DO, or PhD, have an appointment at a medical school, other health science schools or colleges, or a medical school affiliated hospital or group practice. 

We invite proposals that explore research or implementation ideas important in health promotion and disease prevention. These projects may be investigative in etiologic factors, preventive measures, primary and secondary prevention screening, and education. Projects in patient education or health professions education will also be considered. All projects must include a complete and thorough evaluation component.

All proposals will be peer-reviewed by a scientific committee of The Portes Foundation and the IOMC. The first phase of this process is a Letter of Intent, which should not exceed three pages. It should concisely describe the purpose and rationale of the study, its expected outcome, as well as the basic methods that will be used for evaluating the success of the project.

The letter of intent must be submitted electronically to iomcstaff@iomc.org by August 12, 2021.

By the end of August, letter of interest (LOI) submitters will be notified of the initial determination and, if applicable, a complete formal proposal will be requested and due in mid-October 2021. Acceptance of the LOI only means that the Portes Foundation and IOMC consider the concept within their mission and are now interested in evaluating a complete proposal.

Portes Foundation Grant Committee

Board, Institute of Medicine of Chicago

Board, The Portes Foundation

Important: A confirmation email will be sent on all submittals. If you do not receive a confirmation, please contact the IOMC office at 312.709.2685. 

The global rise in childhood obesity is a serious, long-term public health challenge and one that—warns a policy briefing from the World Obesity Federation published in November, 2020—could be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic response. Given how dramatically the pandemic has affected food systems, the economy, and children’s daily lives over the past 2 years, the potential impact of the pandemic on childhood obesity warrants careful scrutiny and a plan to get back on track towards reducing childhood obesity as part of the pandemic recovery. 

Childhood obesity and overweight have increased substantially over the past four decades. WHO estimates that, in 2020, there were 39 million children under 5 years of age with overweight or obesity, and that the prevalence of obesity among those aged 5–19 years has increased from <1% globally in 1975 to 6% of girls and 8% of boys in 2016. Obesity and overweight can be associated with physical and mental health issues, and affect quality of life during childhood, but also increase the likelihood of being overweight and having life-limiting comorbidities in adulthood...

Commercial and social determinants of health have fueled the rapid, global growth in childhood overweight. Changes in food production, retail practices, and the wider food environment have meant an increasing availability of convenient, high-calorie foods and drinks, and, as highlighted in The Lancet Commission A Future For The World's Children, this has been coupled with aggressive and largely unregulated marketing of unhealthy products towards children and their parents. 

Read the full article here.          Download copy of the article here.  

Related information; Childhood Obesity: Maintaining momentum during COVID-19 | World Obesity Federation 

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With our sincerest condolences, IOMC will miss our long-term Billings Society Fellow, Past President (2004-2006), and Board Member since 2015, Dr. Les Sandlow. [Monday, July 26, 2021]


Drawing upon more than five decades in gastroenterology, Dr. Sandlow was bestowed with the honor of emeritus professor of medicine and medical education at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in 2010. Between 1990- 2010, he served the institution in numerous capacities, including senior associate dean for Graduate and Continuing Medical Education, head of the Department of Medical Education and senior associate dean of Medical Education Affairs. Prior, Dr. Sandlow had also gained teaching experience at the University of Chicago and Chicago Medical School between 1963 -1990. At the start of his career, he served the Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center from 1961-1973, rising from an intern to associate medical director.

Finding great success, Dr. Sandlow was the recipient of the Chicago Medical School Lifetime Achievement Award (2020), & Portes Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award (2018). The recipient of numerous grants, including a grant from the National Institutes of Health (1988), & the AOA Faculty Award (2007).  

Funeral service

Thursday, July 29, 2021

12 Noon

Weinstein & Piser Funeral Home

111 Skokie Blvd.

Wilmette, IL 60091

Interment to follow at Westlawn Cemetery, 7801 W. Montrose Ave, Norridge.

Donations: Memorial contributions may be made to Dr. Les and Joanne Sandlow Scholarship for Health Care Education at the Milwaukee Academy of Science 2000 West Kilbourn Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53233 or at Milwaukee Academy of Science Donate. There is a drop down menu when you click on the Donate link on their website.  For more info contact 847.256.5700

We will miss you and thankful for your leadership, legacy and dedication! 

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Drug overdose death rates continue to rise in the United States (1–3), with significant urban–rural differences in rates by sex, age, and types of drugs involved (4). This report uses the most recent mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) to examine urban–rural differences in drug overdose death rates for all drugs and by selected types of opioids and stimulants.

Data from the National Vital Statistics System, Mortality ● From 1999 through 2019, the rate of drug overdose deaths increased from 6.4 per 100,000 to 22.0 in urban counties and from  4.0 to 19.6 in rural counties.

View full report here.

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Clarity on Opioids in Black/African Americans Reported- THE OPIOID CRISIS AND THE BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION: AN URGENT ISSUE

From 2011-2016, compared to all other populations, Black/African Americans had the highest increase in overdose death rate for opioid deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl and fentanyl analogs.6

... Today, as Congress, federal agencies, state health departments, and other stakeholders mobilize to address the opioid epidemic, what is happening within the Black/African American communities? This issue brief aims to convey snapshots of how this population is impacted. Specifically, it aims to do the following:

View the full brief here

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Clarity on Opioids Revealed - As the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA has eased, the extent of devastation caused during this period by the opioid epidemic is no longer obscured. [The Lancet 7.24.2021] 

Data released by the National Center for Health Statistics on July 14 show a steep rise in overdose deaths. Between December, 2019, and December, 2020—the peak of the pandemic in the USA—more than 93 000 Americans died from drug overdoses, up 29·4% over the previous 12 months.

This figure equates to roughly 255 overdose deaths per day; national daily COVID-19 deaths currently hover at around the same number. And with 2020 seeing the largest year-on-year increase in overdose deaths (21 000), it is the pivotal moment to re-examine the opioid crisis response. 

Full article here.  

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Numerous studies have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected people of color in the United States. Black, Hispanic or Latinx, and Native American people are approximately four times more likely to be hospitalized and nearly three times more likely to die of COVID-19 than their majority counterparts. There are numerous reasons for these disparities, many of which are the same as other findings of disparity in other disease states (i.e. the social determinants of medicine). We know that vaccination is the key to preventing COVID-19 in all people. 

Full article here: TH-13141-COVID-19-VACCINATION-DISPARITIES-AND-HESITANCY_7.2019.pdf

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A Safe Haven Foundation is producing its 2nd Annual Global Virtual Run/Walk To End Homelessness!  We can’t be together in person but now we get to invite people from around the world to join the fun and focus on the mission! It will be the most fun and impactful event to help the homeless, ever! 

Unfortunately, the need to help raise awareness to support the homeless has never been more urgent, because around the world, COVID has caused the homeless numbers to rise at an alarming rate. Proceeds will go to support helping to prevent and to transform lives from homelessness to self-sufficiency with pride and purpose. Special pre and post-event live shows, interactive Charge Running course app, Registration required!

Kids can sign up for Free To Run Or Walk, Too! 

Sign Up Here: IOMC Team: 2nd Annual Global Virtual Run / Walk to End Homelessness (runsignup.com) 

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The NIH HEAL Initiative 2021 Annual Report details high-level areas of progress and accomplishments that the initiative achieved by the end of fiscal year 2020. The NIH HEAL Initiative has invested more than $1.5 billion, representing more than 500 research projects across the United States. Many of these projects are returning actionable results, and strong partnerships with stakeholders have created valuable channels for dissemination of research findings. The NIH HEAL Initiative 2021 Annual Report details dozens of research findings across the initiative’s pain and addiction research portfolio that improve treatment delivery and expand options, advance promising therapeutics, build on clinical research infrastructure, and identify non-opioid targets for both pain and OUD.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with increases in opioid misuse and overdose deaths, and intensified contributors to pain and addiction, the NIH HEAL Initiative research community has met this moment in extraordinary ways to adapt existing knowledge toward OUD prevention and treatment, generate therapeutics in record time, and leverage available infrastructure and research capacity.

Download PDF of  the NIH Health Initiative Research in Action report here.