In 2010, the Scientific Management Review Board (SMRB), a congressionally-mandated oversight group, recommended that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) establish a new institute focused on addiction-related research and public health initiatives. In response, NIH proposed to create a new institute, with the working name of the National Institute of Substance Use and Addiction Disorders (NISUAD). A strategic planning committee, which includes individuals from potentially affected institutes and centers, is developing a draft scientific strategic plan to address scientific opportunities in substance use, abuse, and addiction research to: assist in meeting public health needs and improve training options for new investigators.
As part of the strategic planning process, the committee gathered input from the extramural community through a request for information (RFI) entitled, “Input into the Scientific Plan for the proposed National Institute of Substance Use and Addiction Disorders”1. The committee identified 13 issues in the RFI as important to consider as possible areas of research within the newly formed institute. Respondents were asked to reflect and comment on those 13 areas of research as they responded to the following questions:
1. For any of the areas identified above and any other specific areas you believe are worthy of consideration by NIH, please identify the critical issue(s) and effect(s) on the public, on scientists, or both.
2. Please identify and explain which of the issues you identified are, in your opinion, the most important for NIH to address and why.
Ripple Effect Communications, Inc. was contracted to provide third party analysis of the comments received through the RFI. This report provides an analysis of the 500 submissions received in response to the RFI.
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