GSA Policy Initiatives

An Overview

As a multidisciplinary membership organization, GSA monitors, participates, or takes a leadership role in several diverse coalitions, affording us the opportunity to connect our member’s work directly through collaboration with other organizations. Lending a stronger voice in areas where aging research and our member’s research can create an impact to translate the evidence into sound policy.

GSA Policy Initiatives

Coalitions & Partner Organizations

Learn more about GSA's coalitions and partnerships.

Federal Advisory Committees & Councils

GSA monitors the activities of various federal advisory committees and councils.

Letters, Comments, and Statements

GSA provides ongoing advocacy through letters of support and responses to RFIs and requests for comments.

Coalitions & Partner Organizations

The Adult Vaccine Access Coalition (AVAC) was formed to advocate for federal policies that improve access to and increase the utilization of vaccines among adults.

The Alliance for Women’s Health and Prevention (AWHP) is focused exclusively on women’s preventive health across all life stages and irrespective of any one disease area. The coalition partners with a diverse ensemble of leading women’s health-focused organizations to advocate for equitable, accessible, and affordable preventive care.

The Better Medicare Alliance (BMA) is an advocacy and research group that supports Medicare Advantage, a private health insurance option available to Medicare beneficiaries

The Collaborative for Effective Prescription Opioid Policies (CEPOP) engages diverse stakeholders behind a comprehensive and balanced public policy strategy to reduce prescription opioid abuse and promote treatment options, both those living with chronic pain and confronting addiction.

The Council of Subspecialty Societies acts as a forum for the exchange of ideas between the College and subspecialty societies on matters affecting medicine in general and subspecialty societies in particular. The Council of Subspecialty Societies consists of members of societies representing the subspecialties of internal medicine.

The Eldercare Workforce Alliance is a group of 35 national organizations that have joined together to address the immediate and future workforce crisis in caring for an aging America.

The Friends of the Health Resources and Services Administration is an advocacy coalition of more than 175 national organizations, collectively representing millions of public health and healthcare professionals, academicians, and consumers.

The Friends of the National Institute on Aging (FoNIA) is a broad coalition of organizations committed to the advancement of health sciences research that could affect millions of older Americans. FoNIA supports the research and training missions of the National Institute on Aging and serves as a bridge between the NIA and supportive organizations and groups in order to promote and advocate for the NIA and its initiatives as public policies in health and research take shape.

Global Leadership Initiative in Sarcopenia (GLIS) is an international initiative whose major goal is to produce an inclusive definition of sarcopenia that can be widely accepted and disseminated by all the current consensus groups that have proposed definitions that are currently used: Australian and New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia and Frailty Research (ANZSSFR), Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS), European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) and Sarcopenia Definitions and Outcomes Consortium (SDOC). The sarcopenic obesity consensus group has also joined.

The Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO) is a coalition of national nonprofit organizations concerned with the well-being of America’s older population and committed to representing their interests in the policy-making arena.

The Moving Forward Coalition is a two-year initiative to improve nursing home quality. The coalition engages long-term care advocates, nursing home leaders and residents, federal and state policymakers, and others to prioritize 7 to 14 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM) recommendations in The National Imperative to Improve Nursing Home Quality report.

The National Alliance for Caregiving is a non-profit coalition of national organizations who share a vision of a society that values, supports and empowers family caregivers to thrive at home, work and life. 

The National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging provides opportunities for professional, consumer, and government organizations to work together towards improving the availability and quality of mental health preventive and treatment strategies to older Americans and their families through education, research, and increased public awareness.

The Oral Health Alliance includes dental and nutrition organizations, groups representing individuals of all ages, consumer groups and industry seek policies that support routine oral health preventive practices

The Protecting Access to Pain Relief Coalition’s mission is to support continued access to and choice of appropriate over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief. The Coalition accomplishes its mission by supporting evidence-based education on the safe use of OTC pain relief options as a part of a patient consumer’s comprehensive pain management plan developed with their health care provider.

Formed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the U.S. Stakeholder Forum on Antimicrobial Resistance (SFAR) was convened on the principle that any U.S. government strategy to address antimicrobial resistance should involve sustained and meaningful engagement with non-government experts and stakeholders throughout the policy development and implementation process.

Federal Advisory Committees & Councils

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) comprises medical and public health experts who develop recommendations on the use of vaccines in the civilian population of the United States. The recommendations stand as public health guidance for safe use of vaccines and related biological products.

The Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care and Services consists of at least 22 members and meets quarterly to discuss the efficacy of government programs targeting the needs of individuals and caregivers coping with the consequences of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD). The Advisory Council provided comments on the first National Plan for AD/ADRD which was developed by HHS.

Passed in 2010, the Elder Justice Act establishes the Elder Justice Coordinating Council (EJCC) to coordinate activities related to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation across the federal government. The EJCC is directed by the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary serves as the Chair of the Council. 

The National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA) advises the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Director of NIH, and the Director of NIA on its mission.

The National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) recommends ways to achieve optimal prevention of human infectious diseases through vaccine development and provides direction to prevent adverse reactions to vaccines.

To support the development and execution of the strategy, the RAISE Act also directed the establishment of the Family Caregiving Advisory Council. The council is charged with providing recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on effective models of both family caregiving and support to family caregivers, as well as improving coordination across federal government programs. Visit the official webpage to learn more about The RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council.

Letters, Comments, and Statements

As part of its advocacy efforts, GSA signs onto letters to Congress and the Administration supporting evidence-based practice and policy. We also respond to request for information (RFIs) as well as requests for comments to policymakers on issues that impact aging and aging research.