AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, issued the following statement on the confirmation of Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, as the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH):
“Nearly all paths to improved health cross through the National Institutes of Health, and we are committed to working with Dr. Bhattacharya to ensure that NIH and the U.S. remain the global leader in biomedical research. The AAMC supports the NIH’s mission of seeking fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and stands ready to work with the new NIH director on issues of shared importance: transparency, funding of research, academic freedom, and data sharing.
The AAMC is committed to improving the health of people everywhere by advancing biomedical research that leads to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cures for patients and communities; ensuring access to high-quality care; building and strengthening a physician and health professions workforce that reflects the needs of all; and addressing long-standing health inequities.”