Health & Science Policy Committee Making Progress 

The Health & Science Policy (HSP) Committee is focusing on four tactics in support of the ACSM Strategic Plan and intends to complete them by the end of the year: 

• A formal letter of comment was developed and submitted to the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services endorsing the Proposed Rule and the “prepaid shared savings” option for accountable care organizations (ACOs) that participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program.
• Nine research-based ACSM Policy Briefs on topics of interest to ACSM members, certified professionals and the public will be developed or updated and then distributed to educate and secure the support of legislators. Eight of the nine are already complete.
• The committee will distribute its advocacy “statement of focus” to all chapters with additional guidance and resources for establishing local advocacy efforts. Chair Craig Stevens attended the October Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter Huddle and discussed the role of the HSP Committee to generate interest in developing similar regional committees.
• To secure new research funding through ACSM’s advocacy efforts, the committee will identify successful researchers supported by federal funding, as well as collaboration partners and approaches. 

ACSM, NFL Coalition Lobby for Student-Athlete Safety 

Federal legislation is making its way through Congress that would support schools by better preparing them to respond to sudden cardiac arrests when they occur during athletic events. The Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Research, and Training in Schools Act or HEARTS Act (H.R. 6829) authorizes a federal grant program that increases access to AEDs and related equipment on elementary and secondary school campuses. The program also supports CPR education and training among students, school personnel, coaches and volunteers. 

The bill was passed unanimously in March by the House Energy and Commerce Committee and then passed the House of Representatives on Sept. 23. However, the House-passed bill does not include an authorization for new spending to administer the program. 

ACSM and the International Federation of Sports Medicine 

The 38th FIMS World Congress of Sports Medicine was held in Dubai this October; organized by the International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS), of which ACSM is the representative member for the United States, the congress covered a number of international health issues and initiatives: 

• Boosting the profile of the Global Health Alliance (of which ACSM and the ACSM Foundation are signatories), which aims to improve global health through fitness and exercise;
• The creation of $10B in funding by France, the World Health Organization and the International Olympic Committee to boost the Global Health Alliance’s goals;
• Updates on the forthcoming 2025 edition of the FIMS Sports Medicine Manual, in whose production ACSM’s FIMS representatives actively participated;
• FIMS position and/or consensus statements covering the topics of transgender athletes and UFC competition;
• Wearable technology; and
• FIMS finances, including a 2% increase in membership dues; attendees also discussed charging for a FIMS certification in sports medicine. 

Drs. Bill Roberts and Mark Hutchinson, both FACSM, represented ACSM in person at the meeting. Roberts serves on the FIMS Executive Committee and Hutchinson on the FIMS Science/Education Commission. 

ACSM’s next steps and opportunities include: 

• Confirming and integrating the FIMS/ACSM relationship within ACSM’s strategic plan;
• Taking a leadership role in the burgeoning Global Health Alliance;
• Identifying win-win collaborations, including:
  • Encouraging ACSM members to contribute to FIMS products and initiatives,
  • Creating a fast-track review process for FIMS-supported submissions to ACSM journals (though, naturally, not guaranteeing acceptance),
  • Encouraging the ACSM Program Committee to consider FIMS leaders as speakers, and
  • Cobranding international team physician courses;
• Discussing the long-term planning of ACSM’s representation at FIMS, including potentially adding a third representative; and
• Budgeting and planning to send ACSM representatives to the next FIMS meetings:
  • Sept. 30 through Oct. 5, 2025, in Guatemala
  • Sept. 24-26, 2026, in Chile.