The AAMC Jan. 19 submitted comments in response to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) request for information on the ODP's strategic plan for fiscal years (FYs) 2019-2023.
The association provided comments on each of the strategic priorities identified by the ODP. In the letter, the AAMC recognizes the ODP as a crucial driver in assessing, facilitating, and stimulating research focused on disease prevention and health promotion and, importantly, in disseminating and implementing results of that research to improve the health of all.
The AAMC recommends ODP adopt an “equitylens” as it develops taxonomies to describe NIH’s portfolio of prevention research in order to assess whether and how NIH-funded prevention science is measuring inequities in health and health care as well as developing generalizable strategies to minimize or eradicate them. Also, as a method of identifying prevention research areas for investment, the AAMC suggests ODP look beyond its current HHS partners to seek input directly from the patients and communities who are most likely to benefit from any expanded prevention efforts.
Additionally, the AAMC’s comments express the need for ODP to promote the use of the best available methods in prevention research by utilizing methods that promote equity, community engagement, implementation, and evaluation.