138th Meeting Minutes

Minutes – May 11, 2021

The National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse convened its 138^th meeting at 11:00 a.m. on May 11, 2021. This meeting was conducted virtually. The closed portion of the meeting held on May11^th was for reviewing applications for Federal grant assistance and was open only to Council members and Federal employees. The open portion, which was open to the public, began at 12:45 p.m. and was also video cast. The Council adjourned on May 11, 2021 at 4:23 p.m.

Council Members Present
Linda Chang, M.D.
Gail D'Onofrio, M.D., M.S.
Carlos del Rio, M.D.
Lakshmi Devi, Ph.D.
Daniel Goonan 
Christian Heidbreder, Ph.D.
Paul Kenny, Ph.D.
Kenneth Mackie, M.D.
Jessica Hulsey Nickel
Sharon Walsh, Ph.D.

Ad Hoc Council Members Present
Dennis Deer, Ph.D.
Travis Rieder, Ph.D.
Anna Rose Childress, Ph.D.
Andrey Ostrovsky, M.D.
Melissa Walls, Ph.D.
Shelly Greenfield, M.D., M.P.H.
Rajita Sinha, Ph.D.

Council Chair
Nora Volkow, M.D.

Executive Secretary
Susan Weiss, Ph.D.

Non-Federal Employees Present:
Dennis McCarty, Ph.D. – University of Oregon

During the Open Session of Council, 215 participants joined live via videocast.

Closed Portion of the Meeting – May 11, 2021

1. Call to Order

   This portion of the meeting was closed to the public in accordance with sections 552b(c) (4) and 552b(c) (6), Title 5, U.S. Code and section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2).

   Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, NIDA, called the meeting to order and welcomed the Council and staff.  She reminded those present that the Federal Advisory Committee Act applies to Council meetings and that this portion of the meeting was closed to the public. 

   Dr. Susan Weiss, Executive Secretary, summarized relevant NIH policies, provided detailed instructions on Council review procedures, and reminded those present about NIH confidentiality and conflict of interest policies. 

2. Application Reviews

   Drs. Albert Avila, Carlos Blanco, Elena Koustova, Kurt Rasmussen, and Rita Valentino Directors of NIDA’s Office of Research Training Diversity, and Disparities, Division of Epidemiology, Services and Prevention Research, Office of Translational Initiatives and Program Innovations, Division of Therapeutics and Medical Consequences, and Division of Neuroscience and Behavior presented their Division’s/Office’s assigned and peer reviewed applications for consideration by the Council. For each application, Council provided unanimous en bloc concurrence with the initial scientific review. Five administrative supplements, one MERIT application, and 11 applications for Special Council Review were presented to Council, and Council concurred with program assessments. The initial review of all Trans-NIH Initiatives, including NIH Common Fund, Blueprint, and BRAIN applications as well as foreign applications and applications with a secondary assignment to NIDA also received Council concurrence. In total, Council concurred with the initial review of 1,877 applications totaling $24,066,617.

   Council and staff were recused from the Council meetings during discussion of, and voting on, individual applications from their own institutions or other applications for which there was a conflict of interest, real or apparent. Conflicts of interest statements were signed by each member of the Council.  Members were not required to leave the room if an application in conflict with that member was acted upon en bloc.

Open Portion of the Meeting

1. Call to Order

   Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, NIDA, called the open portion of the meeting to order and welcomed all attendees. She reminded all in attendance that the meeting was open to the public in compliance with the Government in the Sunshine Act, was available and recorded via videocast, and indicated that any public comments can be submitted via email within 10 days of the meeting would be included in the minutes.

   She then called attention to future Council meeting dates: September 15, 2021, February 8, 2022, May 10, 2022 (NACDA), and May 11, 2022 (CRAN).

2. Council Rotations
   
   Dr. Volkow thanked Drs. Linda Chang and Ken Mackie for their years of service to NACDA.  She then welcomed new ad hoc members to NACDA: Dennis Deer, Ph.D., Travis Rieder, Ph.D., Anna Rose Childress, Ph.D., Andre Ostrovsky, M.D., Rajita Sinha, Ph.D., and Melissa Walls, Ph.D.

3. Consideration of the Minutes of Council

   The Minutes of the February 2021 NIDA Advisory Council were unanimously approved as written. 

4. NIDA Director’s Report (NIH Videocast @ 0:07:45) – Nora Volkow, M.D., Director, NIDA

   Dr. Nora Volkow began by reviewing NIDA’s budget for FY2021 including HEAL and non-HEAL research. She then highlighted progress made by the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development^SM Study (ABCD Study®) and the phase one accomplishments of the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (hBCD study).  Next, Dr. Volkow discussed the intersection between the drug crisis and COVID-19 and the increased risk of severe COVID-19 in those with substance use disorders (SUDs). She included recently published research on risk factors for COVID-19 and SUDs, and increased drug use and drug deaths during the pandemic. She then followed this with a discussion on SUD treatment needs for fentanyl, methamphetamine, and polysubstance use and overdose. Implementation research to improve the uptake of evidence-based treatments is also crucial. Dr. Volkow introduced a collaborative care model for people with opioid use disorder that involves a Buprenorphine Physician-Pharmacist collaboration.  She noted that NIDA initiatives, such as the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN), allowed researchers to take advantage of the infrastructure in place and  adapt protocols to include research questions related to COVID-19 along with assessing real-time information on how the addiction field responded during the pandemic. Dr. Volkow then provided two policy updates related to new Buprenorphine Guidelines from HHS and the establishment of a standard THC unit to be used in research. She concluded her presentation by highlighting the important work of the NIDA Racial Equity Initiative.

   Council thanked Dr. Volkow for her presentation and a discussion followed (NIH Videocast @ 0:47:36).

5. NIDA-Intramural Research Program – Progress in a Pandemic (NIH Videocast @ 1:17:20) – Amy Newman, Ph.D., Scientific Director, Division of Extramural Research

   Dr. Amy Newman introduced the vision for the NIDA Intramural Research Program (IRP) to support innovative, high risk research on substance use disorders (SUDs), to provide training opportunities, and to promote a diverse, exciting research culture. She introduced the leadership team since her tenure and a number of existing and new initiatives she hopes to strengthen and adopt including establishing a Diversity and Inclusion Director, strengthening the basic science and technology cores at the IRP, improving collaborations with other institutes, and bolstering the translational science program. She then discussed the progress made during the pandemic despite the decreased capacity on site.

   Following the presentation, a discussion with Council and Workgroup members occurred (NIH Videocast @ 1:45:10).

6. Update on NIDA Anti-Harassment and Racial Equity Initiatives (NIH Videocast @ 1:46:45) – Joellen Austin, MPAff, MSM, Executive Officer, NIDA; Will M. Aklin, Ph.D., Co-Chair, NIDA Racial Equity Initiative; Emily Einstein, Ph.D., Co-Chair, NIDA Racial Equity Initiative.

   Joellen Austin provided updates on NIH anti-harassment activities involving increased oversight, expanded programs to address allegations of harassment, and enhanced tools and web presence for more efficient reporting. She discussed updated NIH policies related to preventing and addressing harassment and handling allegations. Joellen concluded by updating Council on the specific efforts NIDA is taking such as additional staff trainings, town hall meetings, and updated performance plans.  Next, Drs. Aklin and Einstein provided updates on the NIDA Racial Equity Initiative (REI) and the specific missions of each of the workgroups. Members of the NIDA REI are drafting an action plan and will continue to seek Council feedback. 

   Following the presentation, a discussion with Council and Workgroup members occurred (NIH Videocast @ 2:10:30).

7. Concept Clearances  (NIH Videocast @ 2:33:52)   

   Division of Epidemiology, Services, and Prevention Research (DESPR)
   — Accelerating the Pace of Drug Abuse Research Using Existing Data – Marsha Lopez, Ph.D., MHS, Chief, Epidemiology Research Branch
   — Mechanism for Time-Sensitive Drug Abuse Research – Marsha Lopez, Ph.D., MHS, Chief, Epidemiology Research Branch
   — Social Determinants of Opioid Use: Opportunities for Community- and System-Level Interventions – Aria Crump, Sc. D., Deputy Branch Chief, Prevention Research
   — Implementing Comprehensive HIV services in Syringe Service Program (SSP) Settings – Richard Jenkins, Ph.D., Health Scientist Administrator
   — Stimulants and HIV: Addressing Contemporary and Recurring Epidemics – Richard Jenkins, Ph.D., Health Scientist Administrator
   — Increasing Immediate Engagement and Retention in HIV Treatment with Substance Users – Minnjuan Flournoy Floyd, Ph.D., Social and Behavioral Science Administrator 
   
   Division of Neuroscience and Behavior (DNB)
   — Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Cannabis and Cannabis-derived products/substances – Kiran Vemuri, Ph.D., Health Scientist Administrator
   — HEAL Initiative: Novel Targets for Opioid Use Disorders and Opioid Overdose – Sam Ananthan, Ph.D., Branch Chief, Chemistry, Pharmacology and Physiology
   — Human post-mortem brain resources for molecular HIV and SUD research – John Satterlee, Ph.D., Health Scientist Administrator
   — HIV, SUD and Neuropathology at Blood Brain Barrier – Da-Yu Wu, Ph.D., Health Scientist Administrator
   — Investigating Transposable Elements and Mobile DNA as Targets of Integration for Establishing HIV Reservoirs in the Brain – Amy Lossie, Ph.D., Health Scientist Administrator
   
   Division of Therapeutics and Medical Consequences (DTMC)
   — Fentanyl and its analogs: effects and consequences for treatment of addiction and overdose – Aidan Hampson, Ph.D., Health Scientist Administrator

8. Public Comments (NIH Videocast @ 2:57:40)
   No public comments were submitted. 
9. Adjourn (NIH Videocast @ 3:00)
   The 138^th meeting of the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse was adjourned at 4:23 p.m.

Certification

I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are accurate and complete.

• Nora D. Volkow, M.D.
  Director, NIDA
  Chair
  National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse
• Susan Weiss, Ph.D.
  Executive Secretary
  National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse

Council Roster

Note: Informational materials provided to the public at the open session of the meeting may be obtained from the Executive Secretary.