Labor/HHS appropriations

House bill passes 373-43 Oct. 11; measure would encourage NCCAM to support nutritional supplement research for sickle cell disease, enhance research on basic mechanisms of action/toxicity of herbal medicines and potential for interaction between botanicals and Rx drugs. Unnumbered bill would provide $99.3 mil. for NIH center in FY 2002, a $10.2 mil. increase from fiscal 2001 and equal to budget request. Senate version, which cleared full appropriations committee same day, would allocate NCCAM $110 mil., $20.9 mil. above fiscal 2001