The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt appointed seven new members to serve on the National Advisory Council for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

The Council consists of 21 members from the private sector and seven ex-officio members from other federal health agencies, who provide advice to the Secretary and the agency director.

The seven new Council members are:

• Robert S. Galvin, MD, director, Global Health Care, GE
• Wishwa N. Kapoor, MD, director, Institute for Clinical Research Education
• Kathleen N. Lohr, PhD, Health Services Research, RTI International
• Michael K. Raymond, MD, CMO, Rush North Shore Medical Center
• David Len Shern, PhD, president, CEO, National Mental Health Association
• William E. Smith, PharmD, PhD, executive associate dean, school of pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia
• Myrl Weinberg, president, National Health Council

The first meeting for these new Council members will be held Friday, April 4, in Rockville, Md., and will be chaired by J. James Rohack, MD.