House seeks to limit lobbying by nonprofits
1
Ultrasound speeds transdermal drug delivery Drug layer Air pocket Keratinocyte No sonication : -_ • ,(Q), 'Q 1 o» _ ~ ο 1 - -9— ο - Ό 1 Ο r ;: ;! ΓΓΓ ο ;;'; ί Lipid bilayers Sonication Without sonication, transdermal drug transport takes an intracellular route and is limited to hydrophobic, low molecular weight compounds—such as estradiol or nitroglycerine—that can diffuse through lipid bilayers surround- ing keratin-synthesizing cells (keratinocytes). Sonication causes air pockets in these cells to expand and oscillate, disorganizing the bilayers and forming channels through them that allow rapid drug transport, even for hydrophilic molecules and proteins. the bilayer enough to let even proteins diffuse through the skin. The researchers measured the skin permeability of human cadaver epider- mis exposed to ultrasound at a fre- quency of 20 kHz. They found insulin, gamma interferon, and erythropoietin diffuse through the skin at therapeuti- cally useful rates. When ultrasound in- tensity was increased, the researchers observed that the protein transport in- creased. But when they removed the ultrasound source, the skin reverted to its normal impermeable state. In vivo experiments showed insulin delivered transdermally reduces blood glucose levels in normal and diabetic rats just as well as do insulin shots. Currently, a diabetic patient would need ultrasound treatments for one hour three times a day to get the required dai- ly dose of insulin transdermally. But Langer envisions patients eventually wearing a watchlike device programmed to deliver insulin as needed. Mairin Brennan House seeks to limit lobbying by nonprofits House Republicans are seeking to limit lobbying and political advocacy by non- profit groups. They attached a rider on the appropriations bill for the Depart- ment of Health & Human Services that forbids nonprofit groups receiving fed- eral grants from spending more than 5% of their own money for lobbying. The bill defines lobbying as any kind of political advocacy—influencing pub- lic opinion, participating in court cases involving government rulemaking, or meeting with federal, state, or local of- ficials on legislative or policy matters. The legislation applies to universities with federal grants, the American Chemical Society, and other scientific so- cieties that receive federal grants, and an estimated 40,000 other nonprofits. Use of federal grant money for lob- bying has been prohibited for years. But in existing legislation, lobbying is defined very narrowly as attempts to influence Congress. Proponents of the rider say it is needed because money nonprofit groups receive in grants allows them to spend more of their own money for lobbying. "If we give them grant money in one pocket, they can take other money to lobby with," says Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas). He points to 40,000 organizations that re- ceive $39 billion in government grants. Opponents of the bill call it an uncon- stitutional attempt to stifle advocacy by nonprofits, which have views differing from those of the Republicans. "The pro- posal is an incredibly intrusive scheme designed to do one thing, and that is to control certain kinds of political activity in this country—activity that is protected by the Constitution of the U.S. and the First Amendment," says Rep. David E. Skaggs (D-Colo.). Critics also say that if NEWS OF THE WEEK lobbying by nonprofits is restricted, lob- bying by contractors who receive federal money also should be restricted. The bill sets up a vast reporting sys- tem. Each year, every nonprofit receiv- ing a grant would be required to send a report to the federal agency that gave the grant, certifying it did not spend more than 5% of its own money on po- litical advocacy. Universities might have to require faculty to keep a log of time advising people in government, says William S. Lubell, director of public af- fairs at the American Physical Society. In addition, nonprofit organizations would have to report on the political activities of "secondary recipients" of federal funds—other nonprofits, com- panies, and individuals they do busi- ness with. Political advocacy could not exceed 15% of expenditures by second- ary recipients. All these reports would have to be submitted each year to the Census Bureau, which would make the information available to the public. ACS does a limited amount of lobby- ing and receives some federal grants. But, because ACS spends far less than 5% of its budget on these efforts, its ad- vocacy efforts would not be cut back un- der the bill. But under the 15% rule, ACS would have to investigate all members and companies paid to work on a feder- ally funded project to determine if they spend more than 15% of their budgets for advocacy. ACS has not taken an offi- cial position on the bill, but it will con- sider several options at its upcoming na- tional meeting in Chicago. The Senate is working on very differ- ent legislation affecting lobbying by nonprofits. But critics of the House bill say its language could end up in the fi- nal appropriations legislation. Bette Hileman Executive order takes aim at toxic emissions An executive order dramatically an- nounced last week by President Clin- ton—aimed at ensuring a community's right to know about toxic chemical emis- sions from local plants—is widely viewed as political theatrics, likely intended to warn Congress against rewriting envi- ronmental laws by adding amendments to appropriations bills. The executive order requires firms contracting with the federal government 6 AUGUST 14,1995 C&EN
Transcript of House seeks to limit lobbying by nonprofits
Ultrasound speeds transdermal drug delivery Drug layer
Air pocket Keratinocyte
No sonication
: -_
•
,(Q), 'Q1
o» _ ~ ο
1
-
-9— ο -
Ό1 Ο
r
;:
;!
Γ Γ Γ
ο ;;'; ί
Lipid bilayers Sonication
Without sonication, transdermal drug transport takes an intracellular route and is limited to hydrophobic, low molecular weight compounds—such as estradiol or nitroglycerine—that can diffuse through lipid bilayers surrounding keratin-synthesizing cells (keratinocytes). Sonication causes air pockets in these cells to expand and oscillate, disorganizing the bilayers and forming channels through them that allow rapid drug transport, even for hydrophilic molecules and proteins.
the bilayer enough to let even proteins diffuse through the skin.
The researchers measured the skin permeability of human cadaver epidermis exposed to ultrasound at a frequency of 20 kHz. They found insulin, gamma interferon, and erythropoietin diffuse through the skin at therapeutically useful rates. When ultrasound intensity was increased, the researchers observed that the protein transport increased. But when they removed the ultrasound source, the skin reverted to
its normal impermeable state. In vivo experiments showed insulin delivered transdermally reduces blood glucose levels in normal and diabetic rats just as well as do insulin shots.
Currently, a diabetic patient would need ultrasound treatments for one hour three times a day to get the required daily dose of insulin transdermally. But Langer envisions patients eventually wearing a watchlike device programmed to deliver insulin as needed.
Mairin Brennan
House seeks to limit lobbying by nonprofits House Republicans are seeking to limit lobbying and political advocacy by nonprofit groups. They attached a rider on the appropriations bill for the Department of Health & Human Services that forbids nonprofit groups receiving federal grants from spending more than 5% of their own money for lobbying.
The bill defines lobbying as any kind of political advocacy—influencing public opinion, participating in court cases involving government rulemaking, or meeting with federal, state, or local officials on legislative or policy matters.
The legislation applies to universities with federal grants, the American Chemical Society, and other scientific societies that receive federal grants, and an estimated 40,000 other nonprofits.
Use of federal grant money for lobbying has been prohibited for years. But in existing legislation, lobbying is
defined very narrowly as attempts to influence Congress.
Proponents of the rider say it is needed because money nonprofit groups receive in grants allows them to spend more of their own money for lobbying. "If we give them grant money in one pocket, they can take other money to lobby with," says Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas). He points to 40,000 organizations that receive $39 billion in government grants.
Opponents of the bill call it an unconstitutional attempt to stifle advocacy by nonprofits, which have views differing from those of the Republicans. "The proposal is an incredibly intrusive scheme designed to do one thing, and that is to control certain kinds of political activity in this country—activity that is protected by the Constitution of the U.S. and the First Amendment," says Rep. David E. Skaggs (D-Colo.). Critics also say that if
NEWS OF THE WEEK
lobbying by nonprofits is restricted, lobbying by contractors who receive federal money also should be restricted.
The bill sets up a vast reporting system. Each year, every nonprofit receiving a grant would be required to send a report to the federal agency that gave the grant, certifying it did not spend more than 5% of its own money on political advocacy. Universities might have to require faculty to keep a log of time advising people in government, says William S. Lubell, director of public affairs at the American Physical Society.
In addition, nonprofit organizations would have to report on the political activities of "secondary recipients" of federal funds—other nonprofits, companies, and individuals they do business with. Political advocacy could not exceed 15% of expenditures by secondary recipients. All these reports would have to be submitted each year to the Census Bureau, which would make the information available to the public.
ACS does a limited amount of lobbying and receives some federal grants. But, because ACS spends far less than 5% of its budget on these efforts, its advocacy efforts would not be cut back under the bill. But under the 15% rule, ACS would have to investigate all members and companies paid to work on a federally funded project to determine if they spend more than 15% of their budgets for advocacy. ACS has not taken an official position on the bill, but it will consider several options at its upcoming national meeting in Chicago.
The Senate is working on very different legislation affecting lobbying by nonprofits. But critics of the House bill say its language could end up in the final appropriations legislation.
Bette Hileman
Executive order takes aim at toxic emissions An executive order dramatically announced last week by President Clinton—aimed at ensuring a community's right to know about toxic chemical emissions from local plants—is widely viewed as political theatrics, likely intended to warn Congress against rewriting environmental laws by adding amendments to appropriations bills.
The executive order requires firms contracting with the federal government
6 AUGUST 14,1995 C&EN
