Director's Council of Public Representatives (COPR)

History

The NIH Director's Council of Public Representatives (COPR) was established in 1998 by former NIH Director Harold Varmus, M.D., following the release of a report by the Institute of Medicine, an independent organization that frequently advises the U.S. Congress on health issues. The report, "Scientific Opportunities and Public Needs," urged the establishment of the COPR "to facilitate interactions between NIH and the general public," among other recommendations.

The first 20 COPR Members were selected in 1999 through a nomination process. More than 250 nominations were received during that first year. Remaining candidates were asked to serve as "COPR Associates." As COPR Associates, they were invited to comment on or participate in initiatives of the various NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices. The COPR Associates Program continues to play an important role in providing public input and feedback to the NIH.

The process of selecting COPR Members has been slightly modified since the Council was established. New members are now chosen through a nomination process to serve on the COPR for terms of up to four years.

During Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni’s tenure as NIH Director (2002-2008), the Council’s involvement in and contributions to high level scientific administrative matters greatly increased. Members have been involved in advisory workgroups and meetings for topics such as the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, Peer Review Enhancements Initiative, Genome-wide Association Studies Policy, and the Science of Science Management. Additional activities include NIH Director’s Retreat and senior staff selection panels. NIH Institute, Center, and Office directors have also engaged COPR members in senior level initiatives, including the national outreach initiatives and strategic planning meetings, among other activities. Additionally, COPR members have addressed a number of important issues as a group, including human research protections and health disparities. COPR Members have also taken part in important NIH initiatives and outreach activities. Examples include:

• Speaking to community groups across the country about the NIH and its programs.
  
• Planning NIH site visits to increase public awareness of the NIH and to bring NIH resources to those who are interested.
  
• Serving on NIH work groups that address an array of topics, such as:
  • newborn hearing screening
  • web site accessibility
  • human research protections
  • privacy regulations
  • health disparities
  • medical application to research
  • reduction of regulatory burdens
  • pediatric research initiative proposals
  • oversight of clinical gene transfer research
  • a national public education campaign to prevent noise-induced hearing loss.
    
    
• Participating in NIH budget retreats.
  
• Serving on review panels for directors of the NIH Institutes.

The COPR continues to evolve as it provides a critical public voice to the ongoing work and future development of the NIH.