Building 31, Room 4C32
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland
October 10, 2006 (historical)
Executive Summary
The National Institutes of Health Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases ~ National Resource Center (NRC) was established by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) in 1994 to increase awareness, knowledge, and understanding of metabolic bone diseases among target audiences, address information gaps, and reach at-risk but underserved populations. In September 2003, NIAMS renewed funding for the NRC under a 4-year contract, and established a National Coordinating Panel to 1) provide guidance to the NRC, 2) ensure collaboration and avoidance of redundant efforts, 3) propose key messages for the NRC to promote, and 4) identify methods to evaluate the effectiveness of the NRC's activities.
Members of the Panel include representatives from the seven Institutes and Offices that contribute to the contract. In addition to the NIAMS, these are the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institute on Aging (NIA), NIH Office of Research on Women's Health (NIH-ORWH), and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health (DHHS-OWH). The NRC is the only trans-NIH clearinghouse or resource center funded by the NIH.
The Panel held its third annual meeting on October 10, 2006, on the campus of the NIH, Building 31, Room 4C32, Bethesda, MD. In addition to Panel members, the meeting brought together other Federal guests and outside guest experts in the field of bone health and metabolic bone diseases.
The meeting was organized into five sections:
Report on Research Advances
This report provided Panel members and guest experts with a review of recent research advances and issues in bone health and metabolic bone diseases. Included in the report were findings from both basic and clinical studies as well as emerging issues that the NIH is addressing with new research funding.
Report from the U.S. Bone and Joint Decade
This presentation provided an overview of the worldwide Bone and Joint Decade (2002 - 2011) and the specific programs and activities of the U.S. network to increase musculoskeletal awareness, provide education, promote research, and improve diagnosis and treatment. Initiatives in which the NIH and NRC collaborated were highlighted.
Report on the National Resource Center
This report provided Panel members and guest experts with a review of current NRC projects and progress during the third year of the 4-year contract. Activities were grouped by core functions, including inquiry response, materials development, promotion and outreach, and exhibits. Initiatives to reach diverse audiences and special outreach projects were also described.
Reports from the Paget Foundation and Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation
Panel members and guest experts received updates on materials development and special initiatives by The Paget Foundation and Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, which provided expertise and assistance to the NRC on projects related to other bone diseases; specifically, Paget's disease of bone and osteogenesis imperfecta.
Additional Plans and Ideas: NRC Promotion and Outreach
This final section of the agenda was set aside for a general discussion during which Panel members and guests identified a broad array of strategies the NRC could use in the coming year to coordinate and increase outreach and promotion activities for the Government's extensive resources on bone diseases.