February 2, 2001

AAMC Comments on NIH Health Disparities Strategic Plan

In a Jan. 30 letter to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the AAMC congratulated the Trans-NIH Working Group on Health Disparities "for developing a strategic plan that recognizes that NIH's success is based on its ability to marshal the full weight of all of its institutes to solve fundamental scientific questions and to address the most urgent challenges of disease." The Association voiced its strong agreement with the fundamental premise underpinning the plan, that "research on minority health issues must be incorporated into the mission of each of the NIH institutes and centers, building on the scientific and clinical expertise that resides in these programs."

In comments on specific portions of the plan, the AAMC specifically endorsed the NIH's definition of health disparities: "…differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the United States."

The Association noted that while the plan highlights biomedical and health research topics, "we urge that consideration be given to increasing support for sociological and policy research on issues related to minority health and health disparities." AAMC said "For example, we recognize that it is the responsibility of academic medical centers and other research institutions (including NIH), to address issues of trust that impair the participation of underrepresented minorities in clinical research. However, there are little data or research on how this trust may be established." Lastly, AAMC urged the NIH institutes and centers to consider how they will evaluate their performance in addressing the success or failure of research initiatives that evolve from the plan. AAMC said "that evaluation and the establishment of realistic, feasible outcome measures are vital."

Information: Tony Mazzaschi, AAMC Division of Biomedical and Health Sciences Research, 202-828-0059.