Rock Creek Roundup (June 18 Edition)

Posted by: Meagen Ryan, Director of Strategy Jun 18, 2010 0 Comments

NOAA launches a site that tracks government response to the Gulf oil spill, the FTC and others take a bite out of Internet fraud with a new program, the public is asked for ideas on supporting the “golden triangle” of technological innovation, and the FDA makes it easier to find out safety information for recently approved drugs, all in this week’s edition of the Rock Creek Roundup.

—As news about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico continues to dominate the headlines, and citizens continue to clamor for information about how the government is responding, a new website aims to shed light on the subject. Developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and using data gathered from its own sources and those of the Coast Guard, the U.S. Geological Survey, the EPA, DHS, NASA, and state governments, the newly launched GeoPlatform website includes constantly updated information on response efforts, closed fishery areas, the trajectory of the oil spill, and more. The site, which features an interactive map offering visitors both big-picture and detailed information on recovery efforts, was originally developed for federal, state, and local officials and has been adapted for use by the public.

—The FTC, in conjunction with a variety of government, nonprofit, and private organizations including PayPal, Microsoft, and the American Bankers Association, announced this week the launch of a new program designed to combat the growing problem of Internet fraud. The Internet Fraud Alert will create a “single channel for sharing information among academic researchers, consumer advocates, financial institutions, government agencies, retailers, service providers, and technology companies.”

—For those in the science and technology world, the fields of information technology, biotechnololgy, and nanotechnology represent the three pillars in the “golden triangle” of research areas that are having the biggest impact on the technology of today and the future. And earlier this week, the President’s Innovation and Technology Advisory Committee reached out to citizens to solicit ideas for the best ways that critical federal infrastructures can offer support to these fields. Citizens are urged to share their ideas about how the government can best support the golden triangle in a way that leads to new jobs and a higher Gross Domestic Product at the OpenPCAST Ideas website, and organizers will hold a live webcast on the topic next Tuesday at 10 a.m.

—No matter whether you’re a patient or a health care provider, a new website launched by the FDA this week should help you make more informed health decisions. The Postmarketing Drug Safety Evaluations site will provide safety information on recently approved drugs after the drug has been available for 18 months or has been used by 10,000 patients, whichever comes later. The database is expected to provide a “real world” view of drug safety outside of the highly regulated clinical trials process, leading to better overall information regarding a new drug’s safety and effectiveness.

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Meagen Ryan

Director of Strategy

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