134th Meeting Minutes

Minutes – January 30, 2020

The National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse convened its 134th meeting at 9:00 a.m. on January 30, 2020 in Conference Rooms C & D, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Bethesda, Maryland. The closed portion of the meeting held on January 30th 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 10:30 a.m. and was also video cast. The Council adjourned on January 30, 2020 at 4:30 p.m.

Council Members Present
Linda Chang, M.D.
H. Westley Clark, M.D., J.D.
Gail D’Onofio, M.D.
Karl Deisseroth, M.D., Ph.D. (call-in)
Carlos del Rio M.D.
Lakshmi Devi, Ph.D.
Marie Gallo Dyak
Jay Giedd, M.D.
Daniel Goonan
Christian Heidbreder, Ph.D.
Paul Kenny, Ph.D.
Kenneth Mackie, M.D.
Lisa Marsch, Ph.D.
Jessica Hulsey Nickel
Edward Nunes, M.D. (call-in)
Robert Rancourt, J.D.
Devin Reaves, M.S.W.
Sharon Walsh, Ph.D.

Council Chair
Nora Volkow, M.D.

Executive Secretary
Susan Weiss, Ph.D.

Members of the Public Present
Colm Everard, Ph.D. — NIDA Contractor 
Jag Khalsa, Ph.D. — NIDA Volunteer
Lizette Nkongho, M.P.H. — NIDA Contractor
Molly Natchipolsky, B.S. — NIDA Contractor
Rao Rapaka, Ph.D. — NIDA Volunteer
Marushka Silveira, Ph.D. — NIDA Contractor

Closed Portion of the Meeting – September 5, 2019

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. Carlos Blanco, Elena Koustova, Kurt Rasmussen, and Rita Valentino, Directors of NIDA’s 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, respectively, 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. Seventeen Special Council Review applications were presented to Council for review, and Council concurred with program assessments. The initial reviews 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.

   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 via videocast, and indicated that time would be provided for public comment.

   She then called attention to future Council meeting dates: May 12, 2020, May 13, 2020 (CRAN), September 10, 2020, and February 9, 2021.

2. Consideration of the Minutes of Council

   The Minutes of the September 2019 NIDA Advisory Council were unanimously approved as written.

3. NIDA Director’s Report (NIH Videocast @ 0:01:29) — Nora Volkow, M.D., Director, NIDA

   Dr. Volkow first reviewed the NIDA budget including AIDS, Non-AIDS, and NIH HEAL InitiativeSM funds. She then discussed overall teen drug trends from the Monitoring the Future Study and noted decreases in oxycontin, cigarette, and alcohol use, no changes in marijuana use, but significant increases in teen vaping of nicotine and THC. The large spike in vaping use among teens was discussed in terms of its effects on adolescent development and future health consequences. She then noted the risks of regular cannabis use and her recent testimony to Congress in which she proposed a standard unit dose for THC and discussed the obstacles researchers face when studying cannabis. Next, Dr. Volkow addressed the current opioid crisis and the increase in overdose deaths due to drug combinations, particularly with psychostimulants. She highlighted NIDA’s expanded portfolio for medications to treats opioid use disorder and the expanded Clinical Trials Network. She also provided updates on the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN), the HEALing Communities study, and the HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study (HBCD). Given the challenges of synthetic opioids and psychostimulant overdoses, she highlighted the need for new treatments for psychostimulants and the implementation of effective behavioral interventions. In addition, Dr. Volkow introduced the NIH Strategic Plan for HIV and HIV-Related Research and a new NIDA funding opportunity on HIV and cannabindoids. She highlighted NIDA’s continued work on its Strategic Plan which is due for its five year update in 2021. Dr. Volkow concluded her presentation by acknowledging the Smoking Cessation Report from the Surgeon General.

   Council thanked Dr. Volkow for her presentation and a discussion followed (NIH Videocast @ 0:58:16).

4. Basic Research Driving the NIDA Mission: Current Advances and Future Directions (NIH Videocast @ 1:53:12 ) — Rita Valentino, Ph.D., Director, Division of Neuroscience and Behavior (DNB), NIDA 

   Dr. Valentino provided an overview of the Division of Neuroscience and Behavior and the depth and breadth of the programs they support. First, she outlined the four different branches with the cross-cutting themes of HIV Research and Data Science and mentioned the collaboration with the FDA around the Tobacco Regulatory Science program. Her overview included highlights of recent advances supported by each branch within the division. Topics included advances in understanding structural dynamics of receptors and neuropeptides in the Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Physiology Branch, identifying genes and genetic loci associated with substance use disorders (SUD) and the interface of genes and the environment to direct behavior in the Genetics, Epigenetics, and Development Branch, cellular processes, circuit activity, and whole brain networks that guide behavior in the Integrative Neuroscience Branch, and using advanced computational approaches to develop predictive models in the Behavioral Cognitive Neuroscience Branch. Dr. Valentino emphasized the collaborative work across divisions and discussed the Data Science Initiative which aims to integrate data sets across different levels of analysis. Lastly, she described the tools being developed by the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative and the impact it has on NIDA related research.

   Following the presentation, a discussion with Council occurred (NIH Videocast @ 2:18:04).

5. What Becoming a Patient Taught Me About Responsible Opioid Prescribing (NIH Videocast @ 2:24:30) — Travis Rieder, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Education Initiatives & Research Scholar, Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics 

   Dr. Rieder discussed his personal experience with prescription opioids following a motorcycle accident and subsequent surgeries. Throughout this experience, he struggled to get appropriate treatment for his pain and was met with suspicion from health care providers before eventually being prescribed sufficient pain relieving medication. After taking very high doses of opioids for over two months, he described his experience trying to get help withdrawing from these medications which he had become physically dependent on. He suffered through prolonged and severe withdrawal symptoms because of the inadequate knowledge of his healthcare providers as to appropriate tapering regimens from the high doses he was prescribed. Dr. Reider’s personal experience as a patient then informed his research as a bioethicist as he considered the issues in current practice regarding responsible opioid prescribing. He described a continuum in attitudes towards opioid prescriptions ranging from prohibition to liberal prescribing. His experience suggests a need to be somewhere in the middle with better information on how to prescribe and manage pain safely and effectively, and how to taper chronic exposure. Dr. Reider ended his discussion by stating responsible prescribing requires appropriate initiation, management, and discontinuation.

   Following the presentation, a discussion with Council occurred (NIH Videocast @ 2:53:30).

6. Concept Clearances (NIH Videocast @ 3:10:30)

   Office of Translational Initiatives and Program Innovations (OTIPI) 
   • Combining the best technologies and latest science to decrease stigma of substance use disorder – Leonardo Angelone, Ph.D., Program Officer 
   • Technologies for high throughput detection of opioids illegally circulating through mail – Irina Sazonova, Ph.D., Health Scientist Administrator 

   Division of Neuroscience and Behavior (DNB) 
   • Tools for Germline Gene Editing in Marmosets – Amy Lossie, Ph.D., Health Scientist Administrator 
   • Center of Excellence Grant Program – Jonathan Pollock, Ph.D., Branch Chief, Genetics, Epigenetics, and Development Neuroscience Branch 
   • Elucidation of mechanisms underlying complex morbidities of SUD and other mental illnesses in PLWHIV – Holly Moore, Ph.D., Program Officer 
   • Advancing HIV/AIDS Research through Computational Neuroscience – Vani Pariyadath, Ph.D., Branch Chief, Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Branch 
   • Extracellular RNA carrier subclasses in processes relevant to Substance Use Disorders or HIV infection – John Satterlee, Ph.D., Health Scientist Administrator 

   Division of Epidemiology, Services, and Prevention Research (DESPR) 
   • Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health – Kathy Etz, Ph.D., Director of Native American Programs 
   • Interventions to Prevent ENDS Use Among Adolescents – Belinda Sims, Ph.D., Health Scientist Administrator 
   • Evaluation and implementation of clinical care guidelines for pain management and opioid-associated consequences – Shelley Su, Ph.D., Health Scientist Administrator 

   Division of Extramural Research (DER) 
   • NIDA Dissertation Award in Substance Use and Substance Use Disorder Research – Michele Rankin, Ph.D., Director, Office of Research Training 
   • NIDA Mentored Clinical Scientists Development Program Award in Substance Use and Substance Use Disorder Research 
   • HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study – Michelle Freund, Ph.D., Director, HBCD Study 
   • The NIH Developmental Studies Biospecimen Access Program – Kimberly LeBlanc, Ph.D., Scientific Program Manager, ABCD Study 

7. Public Comments (NIH Videocast @ 3:46:30) 
   There were no public comments.
8. Adjourn (NIH Videocast@ 3:54:00) 
   The 134th meeting of the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse was adjourned at 4:02 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.