Representatives from the United Arab Emirates National Rehabilitation Center (NRC) joined NIDA staff following the signing ceremony for a binational agreement between NIDA and NRC. From left are NIDA International Program Associate Director Dale Weiss; NRC Senior Surveillance Analyst Anwar Batieha, Ph.D.; NRC Director General His Excellency Hamad Al Ghafri, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., M.P.H.; NRC Research Section Head Ahmed Elkashef, M.D.; NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D.; NRC Surveillance Section Head Naseeba Al Ozaibi, Ph.D.; NRC Senior Public Health Education Specialist Amna Al Marzouqi, Ph.D.; and NIDA International Program Director Steven W. Gust, Ph.D.
NIDA has signed binational agreements to cooperate on drug abuse research and training activities with the Peruvian Instituto Nacional de Salud and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Rehabilitation Center (NRC). NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D., and Instituto Nacional de Salud Chief Cesar Augusto Cabezas Sánchez, M.D., signed the Peruvian binational agreement in January 2014. The agreement focuses on scientific and academic exchange among established scientists and postdoctoral researchers, sharing research methods and tools, holding joint workshops, and participating in collaborative activities between the Instituto Nacional de Salud and the NIDA Clinical Trials Network.
Dr. Volkow and NRC Director General His Excellency Hamad Al Ghafri, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., M.P.H., signed the UAE agreement February 26, 2014, at NIDA headquarters. The two institutions agreed to cooperate on research and methods for epidemiology, prevention, addiction pharmacotherapy drug discovery, and phase 1 and 2 clinical trials; NIDA international fellowships, research training exchanges, and medical education programs; and joint scientific workshops.
The signing was part of a visit to NIDA by a delegation from the NRC. The delegation attended a NIDA Division of Epidemiology, Prevention and Services Research (DESPR) seminar where Rob Orwin, Ph.D., Westat, discussed evaluation of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant program. Following the DESPR seminar, NRC and NIDA staff met for discussions and presentations. NRC Surveillance Section Head Naseeba Al Ozaibi, Ph.D., and Eve Reider, Ph.D., DESPR, led the discussion of prevention activities. NRC Senior Public Health Education Specialist Amna Al Marzouqi, Ph.D., and Moira O’Brien, M.Phil., DESPR, reviewed epidemiology and surveillance programs in the two countries. Lori Ducharme, Ph.D., DESPR, discussed NIDA treatment services research. Stephanie Older, NIDA Office of Science Policy and Communications, described public education and information programs, including NIDA’s Drug Facts Week and Chat Day. NIDA International Program Director Steven W. Gust, Ph.D., described the Institute’s research training fellowships and mechanisms for scientific exchanges.