Framingham Heart Study Will Research the ‘Third Generation’

The Framingham Heart Study (FHS) will soon begin recruiting 3,500 grandchildren of the study's original participants for their Third Generation Study in hopes of yielding additional breakthrough information on risk factors for cardiovascular and other diseases. “The expansion to a third generation opens up the chance to explore important new questions about disease risk, especially those related to genetics,” National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Director Claude Lenfant, M.D., said. Key goals of the Third Generation Study include identifying new risk factors for cardiovascular, lung, and blood diseases; identifying genes that contribute to good health and the development of cardiovascular, lung, and blood diseases; and developing new imaging tests for the detection of coronary atherosclerosis in very early stages in otherwise healthy adults. Participants will undergo periodic medical examinations, including a physical examination, an electrocardiogram, and laboratory tests including blood pressure and blood cholesterol measurements. FHS, which is a part of the NHLBI, recruited 5,028 men and women for the original study in 1948, and 5,124 children of the original participants and their spouses for the Framingham Offspring Study in 1971.

‘Patient and Physician Safety Act of 2001’ Is Introduced to House of Representatives

The “Patient and Physician Safety and Protection Act (PPSPA) of 2001,” H.R. 3236, which was recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, would, if passed, establish specific limits on work hours for resident physicians, allow residents to file anonymous complaints regarding violations, and impose financial penalties for noncompliance. The legislation calls for resident work hours to be limited to 80 hours per week, no more than 24 hours at one time, at least 10 hours between shifts, at least one out of every seven days off, and at least one full weekend off per month. The bill also limits emergency department shifts for residents to 12 hours, limits on-call responsibilities to no more than every third night, provides provisions for supervision of all residents, requires annual surveys of resident-physician working conditions, calls for public disclosure of hospitals that violate the hour limits, and imposes civil penalties. Proponents of the bill cite the effects of sleep deprivation on performance and safety as a major reason these rules need to be imposed. PPSPA was introduced by Rep. John Conyers, Jr., (D-Mich.) and, as of November 14, is co-sponsored by 12 additional members of Congress. For more information about this bill, contact Joel Segal at 202–225–5126.

Senate Passes ‘Teaching Children To Save Lives Act’

The “Teaching Children to Save Lives Act,” (S. 727), passed by the Senate in November, allows local school districts to apply for federal grants to implement cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training programs that will enable students to respond to life-threatening cardiovascular emergencies, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). The bill authorizes $30 million over three years to purchase CPR materials such as mannequins and to train teachers as instructors. Schools that already have CPR training programs will be allowed to apply for grants to implement training for automated external defibrillators. The schools, in conjunction with community organizations such as the AHA, fire and police departments, hospitals, and parent-teacher associations, would begin CPR training in grades six through 12. “We hope that learning CPR at an early age will help give children the confidence to handle emergency situations,” said Lawrence B. Sadwin, chair of the AHA, “and that it will encourage them to update these skills as they become adults.” The bill, which was introduced to the Senate by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Russell Feingold (D-Wisc.), must be passed by the House of Representatives and signed by President Bush.

AAFP Sets Deadlines for Awards, Proposals in 2002

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has set deadlines for various awards and proposals in 2002. For each listing below, call the contact person at 800–274–2237 and the extension number provided, or send an e-mail.

• Application deadline for the Pfizer Teacher Development Awards, which recognize excellence in part-time teaching, is January 15. For information and an application form, contact Susie Morantz at ext. 4470 or smorantz@aafp.org.

• AAFP's Public Health Award honors members who have made extraordinary contributions to public health. Nominations must be submitted by March 1. For more information and application forms, contact Nancy Crossfield at ext. 3142 or ncrossfi@aafp.org.

• Nominations for the Mead Johnson Awards for Graduate Education are due March 1. The awards recognize second-year residents demonstrating leadership, community involvement, and exemplary patient care. Applications may be obtained by contacting Debbie Miller at ext. 6812 or dmiller@aapf.org.

• The proposal deadline is March 15 for workshops, seminars, lectures, papers, poster displays, and special interest discussions at the 2002 Conference on Patient Education, November 21 through 24, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. For more information, contact Melody Goller at ext. 3134 or mgoller@aafp.org.