Of the nearly 7,000 rare diseases identified by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), only a few hundred currently have treatments. The development of therapies for rare diseases is often hampered by the special challenges of conducting the needed studies for rare disease drugs and medical devices, such as small numbers of patients and the fact…

In the No Child Left Behind Act and the What Works Clearinghouse, the federal government has attempted to establish guidelines for the type of education research that U.S. schools should consider in selecting instructional programs and resources. The government's clear preference for the medical model--a powerful research design in such fields as…

Efforts of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to combat AIDS are reported. Health implications of the viral disease are summarized, along with economic costs, research achievements, the importance of education, and appropriate and workable solutions. (LB)

The Association of Academic Health Centers and the Association of American Medical Colleges approved statements on conflicts of interest. University researchers are asked to disclose any significant personal, professional, or financial relationships, and faculty should not let commercially sponsored research interfere with the education of…

Existing federal government policies and systems to protect against scientific misconduct in government-supported research projects are described, and additional considerations not covered in federal policy are enumerated. Misconduct inquiries and review procedures are outlined. Applicant and institutional responsibility and the role of prevention…

Recent activities of the General Accounting Office (GAO) related to the allocation of medical resources and services are reviewed. Focus is on the evaluation of programs designed to increase public access to quality health care and to contain health care costs. GAO supervision of grant monies designated for medical research is also discussed. (JMD)

Three principal aspects of capital needs in biomedical research are discussed: the significant and growing need for capital; sources; and the role of federal policy. Important assumptions, questions, and possible future trends are discussed. Consolidated thinking and effort are encouraged. (MSE)

Tables of the Reagan Administration's 1988 fiscal budget show breakdown data on student assistance, graduate support, institutional assistance, education for the handicapped, aid to disadvantaged, education research and statistics, bilingual education, library resources, scientific research, health research and professions, arts and humanities,…