‘Twas the night before Christmas, and at NIH,
There were still policy issues, keeping us wonks awake.
The sIRB comments have been read with care,
Soon a final policy will be ready to share.
The Common Rule comments are still flowing in,
Thoughts on consent forms for biospecimens.
NSABB staff are busy, organizing fora to discuss,
The Gain of Function studies that have raised such a fuss.
And I at my computer, and staff at theirs, too,
Are pushing along the CT.gov final rule.
Precision medicine and chimeras are both front of mind,
Biosafety compliance is not far behind.
The new Strategic Plan raised a small clatter,
As everyone read it to find what really matters.
Data sharing policy, don’t forget about that,
Even as we update our disease burden stats.
The Biennial report is soon to emerge,
Full of good info – read it, we urge!
The RAC staff is ready, FR comments in hand,
To implement the streamlined process we planned.
Then what to our wondering eyes should appear,
But an omnibus bill for this fiscal year!
And as OSP Director, true policy geek,
I keep policy wheels rolling, week after week,
“Now, consent! Now, DURC! Now, gametes and eggs!
On NPRM! On agencies and regs!
To extramural and intramural, and all in between,
To new science policy in 2016!”
The poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas, also known as The Night Before Christmas, for his family on Christmas Eve 1822.