Obama To Re-Nominate Johnsen To Head DOJ Office Of Legal Counsel

President Obama plans to re-nominate Dawn Johnsen as his choice for the head of the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel after the Senate failed to take action on her nomination last year, according to a White House official, CQ Today reports (Perine, CQ Today, 1/7). Some Senate Republicans have argued that Johnsen is too controversial for the post given her criticism of legal memorandums OLC issued during the Bush administration. She also has drawn fire for her earlier work in support of abortion rights (CQ Today, 1/7).

Johnsen, an Indiana University law professor who served as acting head of OLC during the Clinton administration, was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in March 2009. However, the full Senate never voted on her nomination, in part because of criticism from the GOP (Savage, New York Times, 1/8).

In the past, Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.) and then-Republican Arlen Specter (Pa.) had expressed reservations, although they have not declared how they would vote (CQ Today). Republican Sen. Richard Lugar (Ind.) has said he will support Johnsen (New York Times, 1/8).

Democratic advocates praised the resubmission. Marge Baker, executive vice president of People for the American Way, said, "President Obama made an excellent choice in Professor Johnsen to lead OLC, and today he's shown his willingness to stand on principle and call the Republicans on their attack and delay tactics."

Obama also re-nominated Louis Butler and Edward Chen, two choices for U.S. district court judgeships (CQ Today, 1/7).


Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.


© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.

Philadelphia Inquirer Examines Developments, Ethics In Microbicide Research

The Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday examined issues surrounding microbicide research, including recent developments and ethical issues. The Inquirer reports that the use of microbicides to prevent the spread of HIV "seemed so simple" 15 years ago, when researchers thought they could provide a vaginal gel that would be applied prior to sex. The gel would be "cheap and nonprescription, provide contraception and prevent many sexually transmitted infections, not just HIV," the Inquirer reports, adding that women also would be able to control its use, making microbicides "popular in places where men did not like wearing condoms -- that is, everywhere."

However, "the field's record is so disappointing that anything short of failure is cause for cheers," the Inquirer reports. More than $1 billion has been spent on research and development goals worldwide, with tens of thousands of women participating in clinical trials for potential microbicides that include things like lime juice, a seaweed extract and grain alcohol. The most recent development occurred in February when the International Partnership for Microbicides announced that an experimental gel -- PRO 2000 -- for the first time "had shown a hint more protection" against the virus than a placebo, according to the Inquirer. The trial -- which was conducted by researchers in Africa and Philadelphia -- was called "an important milestone," and Lisa Maslankowski, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh who participated in the study, said that the PRO 2000 study was "the first time we've seen any signal of effectiveness, so this is very exciting for the field."

However, the results were statistically insignificant and indicated the gel's success "could have been a fluke," according to the Inquirer. The results from an ongoing trial of low-dose PRO 2000 are expected in late 2009. It would be considered statistically significant if the results showed a 33% decrease in HIV incidence, "a smidgen more than in the Philadelphia-Africa study," which could "pose another quandary," the Inquirer reports. Rowena Johnston, vice president of research at amFAR, said, "If we put out a marginally effective product, we know people would reduce their condom use. Then HIV infection would increase instead of decrease."

Advocates for microbicides are "undaunted," and there is a "new hope" that antiretroviral drugs could be used to prevent transmission of the virus. Still, "no one believes it will be simple," and many experts say the "science behind many studies was weak, the ethical quandaries were underestimated, and the basic rule of product development -- find out what the consumer wants -- was ignored," the Inquirer reports. In addition, microbicide research is "full of ethical and real-world dilemmas," including the fact that "developers cannot knowingly increase HIV risk while seeking a way to reduce it," the Inquirer reports. Women therefore are provided with condoms and "strenuously counseled to persuade their partners to wear them," but for some women in low-income countries their "only leverage may be the nominal payment" they are given for participating in the study. Anna Forbes, deputy director of the Global Campaign for Microbicides, said that women "can sometimes get their partners to use condoms during the trial because they are making money" but that condom use ends after the trial is over. Forbes said it is a "gray area ethically."














The failures of previous studies have led researchers to "now realize they need to come up with products that are not just good for women, but that women feel good using," the Inquirer reports, adding that once-daily formulations and slow-release vaginal rings are "in the works." Sharon Hillier, head of the federal Microbicide Trials Network and a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, said the past decade "showed us there's no magic bullet." She also said that successes in preventing mother-to-child transmission through antiretrovirals have led researchers to explore pre-exposure prophylaxis. The Inquirer reports that this is a "radical shift," as the drugs are "neither cheap nor nonprescription" and come with "the danger of unintended consequences." Forbes said, "In poor countries, what are the odds that prevention pills would be taken from a woman and given to a family member with HIV?" In addition, there is a concern that expanded use of antiretrovirals could lead to drug resistance, "undermining treatment as well as prevention," the Inquirer reports (McCullough, Philadelphia Inquirer, 3/23).


Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

© 2009 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

Brownback Reiterates Pledge That He Will Try To Overturn Roe If Elected President

Sen. Sam Brownback (Kan.), who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, on Saturday at a campaign event in West Des Moines, Iowa, reiterated his pledge that, if elected, he will try to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that effectively barred state abortion bans, through appointing a Supreme Court justice, the Des Moines Register reports. Speaking at the Crossroads Fellowship, Brownback said the court is just one justice away from enough votes to overturn Roe, adding, "I want to be the president that appoints that justice" (Kauffman, Des Moines Register, 7/15).

Brownback attended seven campaign events throughout Iowa from July 13 to July 15 as part of his "Pro-Life, Whole-Life Tour," according to the Daily Iowan (Patton, Daily Iowan, 7/16). At another campaign event Saturday in Odebolt, Iowa, Brownback called on Rep. Tom Tancredo (Colo.), who also is running for the Republican nomination, to return campaign contributions from a longtime supporter who gave donations to a Planned Parenthood affiliate in Michigan, the Denver Rocky Mountain News reports (Sprengelmeyer, Denver Rocky Mountain News, 7/16).

Brownback on Saturday in an interview following the event said, "I've had people who've given funds to my campaign (but) when I saw where they were on the issues, I said, 'I don't want to associate with those individuals.'" Tancredo, who also attended the event, in an interview said, "Sen. Brownback knows better," adding, "He knows how I feel on the position of life (opposing abortion). It's disappointing. It's not a mark of a campaign with great integrity" (Rocky Mountain News, 7/16).

"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

Mother's Day And National Women's Health Week To Raise Awareness Of Gestational Diabetes

Most women with gestational diabetes know that taking steps to manage the disease during pregnancy is critical for the health of both mother and child. What many women don't realize is that those steps need to continue even after the baby is born.


Women who have had gestational diabetes are at increased risk for developing diabetes in the future, and their child is also at increased risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) at the National Institutes of Health are teaming up this May to raise awareness of these risks as part of the National Diabetes Education Program's (NDEP's) "It's Never Too Early...to Prevent Diabetes" campaign.


"As we celebrate Mother's Day and National Women's Health Week May 9 through 15, we want all mothers with a history of gestational diabetes to be aware of their long-term health risks, the health risks faced by their children, and steps they can take to keep themselves and their families healthy," said Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., director of the NIDDK.


Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and affects about 7 percent of all U.S. pregnancies, or about 200,000 pregnancies each year. Women who have had gestational diabetes should be re-tested for diabetes six to 12 weeks after the baby is born, and at least every three years after that.


"Many women think that if the follow-up test after the baby is born shows no signs of diabetes, they are in the clear, but that's not the case," said Vivian Pinn, M.D., director of the ORWH. "What many of these moms don't know is that they have a 40 percent to 60 percent chance of developing diabetes as early as five to 10 years after their baby is born. These women need to know this information and they need to take steps to lower their risk for developing diabetes."


Women with a history of gestational diabetes can do a lot to prevent or delay the risk of developing diabetes. In addition to screening for diabetes, it is important for women to reach and maintain a healthy weight by making healthy food choices and being active for at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week. These action steps are good for the entire family and help mom and baby manage their risks for developing diabetes. Breastfeeding also helps protect against childhood obesity, which is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. For mom, breastfeeding can also promote an earlier return to pre-pregnancy weight.


Gestational diabetes occurs more frequently among women with a family history of diabetes; overweight and obese women; and Hispanic/Latina, African-American, American Indian, Asian, Pacific Islander and Alaska Native women. Women who have had gestational diabetes should be screened regularly for diabetes and pre-diabetes, a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Follow-up screening usually consists of a simple blood test.















It is important that women talk to their doctors about their history of gestational diabetes. Women with a history of gestational diabetes should also talk to their obstetricians about earlier screening for gestational diabetes in future pregnancies. Because the children of women who had gestational diabetes are also at increased risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes, it's a good idea for mothers who had gestational diabetes to tell their child's pediatrician.


For a free tip sheet on gestational diabetes, including steps to reduce the risk of developing diabetes, call the National Diabetes Education Program at 1-888-693-NDEP (6337) or visit here. In addition, Women's Health Resources, a Web Portal developed by the National Library of Medicine and ORWH, will highlight NDEP materials and NIH research on gestational diabetes during National Women's Health Week, May 9 through 15.


The NIDDK, part of the NIH, conducts and supports basic and clinical research and research training on some of the most common, severe and disabling conditions affecting Americans. The Institute's research interests include diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic diseases; digestive diseases, nutrition, and obesity; and kidney, urologic and hematologic diseases. For more information, visit here.


The NIH's Office of Research on Women's Health serves as the focal point for women's health research at the NIH. For more information about NIH's Office of Research on Women's Health, visit orwh.od.nih.


The National Diabetes Education Program, jointly sponsored by the NIH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 200 partner organizations, provides diabetes education to improve the treatment and outcomes for people with diabetes, promote early diagnosis, and prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. For more information, visit here.


Source

National Institutes of Health (NIH)