This month The Pharmacologist features ASPET’s 2024–2025 Washington Fellows written policy briefs. The Washington Fellows Program is dedicated to enabling developing and early-career scientists interested in science policy to learn about and become more engaged in public policy issues. As part of the program, the Fellows gain skills in writing policy briefs on topics that are of importance to each Fellow. In these briefs, the Fellows showcase compelling arguments for policy improvements on their issue choice.
Summaries are below, followed by links to read each policy brief.
Protecting college athletes from opioid misuse: A policy proposal for education and mental health screening reform in the NCAA
By Brittany Pate, PhD, Emory University School of Medicine
Executive Summary
College athletes are at increased risk for opioid misuse due to high injury rates, pressure to perform, cultural stigma surrounding mental health, and limited awareness of addiction risks (Knettel, Cherenack and Bianchi-Rossi). While the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has taken steps to raise awareness about substance use, enforceable nationwide standards for opioid education and behavioral health screening are lacking. This policy brief is directed to Congress, which holds the legislative and funding authority necessary to implement standardized prevention programs across all federally funded institutions. Specifically, this brief outlines two cost-effective, evidence-based interventions Congress can support through federal incentives and oversight:
- Mandatory opioid education programs tailored for NCAA athletes and athletic personnel.
- Annual mental health and addiction risk screenings integrated into standard medical evaluations.
The NCAA represents a key stakeholder in implementation of these interventions, given its operational role in college sports, but Congressional action is critical to ensure consistent, enforceable adoption nationwide. Policy makers can take a leadership role in encouraging adoption of these reforms by leveraging federal grants, student wellness funding, and reporting requirements tied to Higher Education Act provisions. These low-cost, high-impact reforms align with public health best practices and could help prevent addiction before it starts, thereby protecting athletes’ health, careers, and lives.
Breathing Unequally: Confronting Asthma Disparities in Detroit’s Historically Black Neighborhoods
By Elena Levi-D’Ancona, PhD, University of Michigan
Elena is now a Science Policy Fellow at Friends of Cancer Research
Executive Summary
Detroit faces a public health crisis rooted in environmental racism.
Asthma rates are among the highest in the nation, with Black residents bearing a disproportionate burden due to pollution, poverty, and limited access to care. To address this, I recommend three state-supported interventions for Governor Whitmer’s office to implement through
expanding existing state resources:
- Partner with Black-led organizations and academic institutions.
- Expand and fund mobile care units with environmental health services.
- Establish a citywide asthma data-sharing initiative.
These actions can reduce health disparities, build community trust, and deliver care where it’s needed most.
Ethylene Oxide: Risk Assessment and Proposed Interventions in Puerto Rico
By Pablo Reina-Gonzalez, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
Executive Summary
Ethylene oxide (EtO) is a critical sterilant for medical equipment that cannot be disinfected through traditional methods. However, its use comes at a significant public health cost. EtO is a known carcinogen, and its emissions during sterilization processes have created substantial environmental health risks in Puerto Rico (PR). Despite having only seven sterilization facilities, PR ranks third in the U.S. for EtO usage, with four facilities identified by the EPA as contributing to elevated cancer risk. Most notably, the Steri-Tech facility in Salinas poses the highest cancer risk from EtO emissions nationwide. Nearly half a million residents—primarily people of color—live within five miles of these facilities, along with hundreds of schools and childcare centers. In January 2025, the EPA finalized a rule requiring sterilization facilities to install permanent total enclosures (PTEs) to reduce emissions. However, experts question the effectiveness of PTEs at large-scale facilities, citing engineering limitations and concerns over inadequate monitoring protocols that allow emissions to be averaged over time. Furthermore, weak regulatory enforcement in PR, including lower monetary penalties for violations, undermines compliance efforts.
This policy brief recommends:
- Strengthening emissions regulations by mandating continuous third-party air quality monitoring with real-time public reporting.
- Enhancing public health protections through subsidized health screenings and epidemiological studies.
- Promoting community engagement via public education forums.
Robust, enforceable standards—supported by transparency and community involvement—are vital to reducing EtO exposure and protecting the health of Puerto Rico’s vulnerable communities.
Potential Health Risks of Micro- and Nanoplastics and Proposed Strategies to Reduce Harm
By Kari Gaither, PhD, Washington State University
Executive Summary
Global plastic production has surged, reaching 460 million tons in 2019, leading to pervasive environmental contamination by micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs). These persistent particles are now found throughout the environment and, of concern, have been detected within human tissues and organs, including the blood, placenta, liver, kidney, and brain. Potential health concerns stem from their persistence and bioaccumulation, as well as their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, leach chemical additives, and induce molecular pathways involved in inflammation, genotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and oxidative stress. Studies have also shown altered metabolism and potential for inhibition of drug transport. However, significant research gaps persist, particularly regarding standardized detection methods for MNPs and a full understanding of long-term human health impacts.
Feeding Inequality: How Chicago’s Segregated Past Shapes Food Access Today
By Harshita Kondeti, Loyola University Chicago
Executive Summary
Chicago, Illinois, is a diverse but deeply segregated city. Segregation has had profound impacts on life expectancy in areas of lower socioeconomic status, driven by lack of access to nutritious foods. Many Chicago neighborhoods comprised of Black residents are food deserts. Lack of food security leads to increased presence of metabolic diseases and decreasing lifespans. It is important that state and local governments do more to invest in initiatives such as incentivizing the creation of community gardens and reducing food waste in low-income areas.
Healthcare Disparities and Improving Access to Care in Rural Appalachia
By Helen Ibeawuchi, MD, University of Pikeville
Executive Summary
Rural Appalachia faces unique health challenges due to healthcare disparities caused by geographic, economic, infrastructure, and sociocultural barriers. Over 25 million people across 13 states live in this region. They are disproportionately disadvantaged due to poor access to health care and consistently lag behind national health indicators, experiencing higher rates of poverty, chronic illnesses, and premature death. Chronic diseases increase healthcare costs and reduce workforce productivity. Healthcare disparities in this region threaten the well-being of its residents and create a heavy economic burden. I propose that federal legislators address the multifaceted nature of healthcare access issues in rural Appalachia to improve public health outcomes and enhance economic development in the region. These include addressing healthcare provider shortage as well as providing tax incentives to companies that provide internet services to enable rural broadband expansion and telehealth services.
Expanding Health Equity in CDBG-Funded Research in Cleveland
By Amanda Ifft, Cleveland State University
Executive Summary
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), supports housing, infrastructure, and public health in Cleveland. Despite housing premier biomedical institutions, Cleveland faces significant health disparities, especially among minorities, who experience elevated rates of chronic illnesses and are underrepresented in biomedical research.
Cleveland’s current CDBG policies do not require demographic data collection or equity assessments for projects, limiting evaluation of whether initiatives reduce disparities. To address this, the city should pass legislation modernizing CDBG use by mandating demographic reporting, requiring annual Equity Impact Assessments (EIAs), and funding mobile health clinics that deliver care and collect data in underserved areas.
Oversight should be integrated into existing advisory boards, and funds should support equity-focused training for researchers and nonprofits. These reforms will improve representation in research, strengthen public health strategies, and ensure investments serve those most affected by systemic inequities. By aligning CDBG use with health equity goals, Cleveland can maximize federal investment and set an example for inclusive, evidence-based public health policy.
Rethinking Mentorship in Graduate School: Why Student Voices Should Shape Faculty Promotions
By Victoria Salemme, University of California, Davis
Executive Summary
Effective mentorship is essential to graduate student success, directly impacting both degree completion and time to graduation. Faculty mentors play a pivotal role in training students in research, critical thinking, and facilitating professional networking. However, the current structure of graduate mentorship creates a significant power imbalance, often leaving students vulnerable when mentoring relationships take a wrong turn. Many students report experiencing bullying or harassment from their primary research advisor, with limited institutional recourse or protection. To address this, the University of California Board of Regents should establish a system-wide commission to review graduate mentorship practices. This review should inform new structures that elevate the graduate student voice in faculty evaluations, particularly during promotion, and support the development of more effective, accountable, and equitable mentorship models. Strengthening mentorship will improve graduate student well-being, increase retention, and promote timely degree completion across all UC campuses.
Protecting Patients from Counterfeit GLP-1 Drugs: Closing the Gaps in Access, Oversight,
and Awareness
By Sumaih Zoubi, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Executive Summary
GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro have transformed obesity and type 2 diabetes treatment by supporting substantial weight loss and reducing comorbidities like cardiovascular disease. However, the soaring demand and limited access have fueled a dangerous surge in counterfeit and unapproved GLP-1 drugs sold online and through illegitimate channels.
According to the FDA, counterfeit Ozempic products have entered the U.S. drug supply chain bearing fake lot numbers and non-sterile needles, posing significant safety risks to patients. The rise of social media advertisements and online telehealth platforms has further facilitated the distribution of these products. In fact, a recent report revealed that between 2023 and early 2025, over 900 adverse events and at least 18 deaths were linked to compounded GLP-1 drugs, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, highlighting the growing severity of the threat. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also issued global warnings urging caution over the rise in falsified GLP-1 products due to their health risks and widespread market infiltration.
To address this growing public health threat, this brief presents five policy recommendations:
- Enforce stricter action against illegal online drug sales.
- Improve accountability on social media and e-commerce platforms.
- Launch a national public education campaign.
- Expand insurance coverage to reduce demand for unsafe alternatives.
- Strengthen guidance and oversight for healthcare providers and compounding pharmacies.
