New IOM Activities

Understanding the Global Public Health Implications of Substandard, Falsified, and Counterfeit Medical Products

5/25/2012

The Food and Drug Administration requested that the IOM to convene a consensus committee to gather information and deliberate on the improved approaches to mitigating the global problem of substandard, falsified, and counterfeit pharmaceuticals and products used in their manufacture.

Evaluating Progress of Obesity Prevention Efforts

5/23/2012

The study will draw on the recommendations of the IOM report, Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention and consider new metrics to measure progress in developing this plan. The committee will also develop a community-level measurement plan to add support to the national-level plan, and will identify measurement ideas that can determine the impact of the overall HBO/IOM, The Weight of the Nation campaign.

Review of the Health Effects in Vietnam Veterans of Exposure to Herbicides (Ninth Biennial Update)

5/23/2012

The IOM will undertake an updated review and evaluation of the available scientific evidence regarding the statistical association between exposure to dioxin and other chemicals in the herbicides used in Vietnam and various adverse health outcomes.

Roundtable on Translating Genomic-Based Research for Health

5/22/2012

The Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Translating Genomic-Based Research for Health brings together leaders from academia, industry, government, foundations and associations who have a mutual interest in addressing the issues surrounding the translation of genomic-based research. The mission of the Roundtable is to advance the field of genomics and improve the translation of research findings to health care, education, and policy.

Roundtable on Value & Science-Driven Health Care

5/22/2012

The IOM Roundtable on Value & Science-Driven Health Care convenes leadership from key healthcare sectors to catalyze the collaborative work needed to drive improvements in the effectiveness and efficiency of medical care, by transforming how evidence is developed and used in health care.

Cecil Awards

5/18/2012

The Cecil Awards recognize outstanding, sustained contributions of Institute of Medicine staff and are awarded in three categories: research, administration/program, and wildcard.

FDA Tobacco Regulatory Science Fellowship

5/17/2012

The fellowship offers a unique opportunity for mid-career professionals to gain experience and expertise to further define and develop the field of regulatory science as it relates to the regulation of tobacco products.

Identifying and Prioritizing New Preventive Vaccines for Development

5/17/2012

Already, vaccines and mass immunizations have been instrumental in reducing childhood mortality and combating infectious diseases across the globe, and there is potential for greater progress with vaccine research and development. In response to a request from Department of Health and Human Services’s National Vaccine Program Office, the IOM has begun a new study to help prioritize new preventive vaccines of domestic and global importance.

Followup to a 1982 IOM Study on Research Issues in the Assessment of Birth Settings: A Workshop

5/16/2012

The IOM and the National Research Council will convene a committee to plan and conduct a two-day public workshop that will review updates to the 1982 IOM-NRC report Research Issues in the Assessment of Birth Settings. The workshop will feature invited presentations and discussions that will highlight research findings that advance our understanding of the effects, on maternal labor, clinical and other birth procedures, and birth outcomes, of maternal care services in different types of institutional settings, including conventional hospital labor and delivery wards and alternative birth settings that may be hospital-affiliated or free-standing.

Assessment of Studies of Health Outcomes Related to the Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule

5/15/2012

The IOM will conduct an independent assessment surrounding the feasibility of studying health outcomes in children who were vaccinated according to the CDC recommended schedule and those who were not.

Roundtable on Health Literacy

5/14/2012

The mission of the Roundtable is to move forward the field of health literacy by translating research findings to practical strategies that can be implemented.

Review of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

5/10/2012

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has requested that the IOM provide an independent assessment of CIRM's programs, operations, strategies, and performance since its inception in 2005.

Committee on the Examination of the Adequacy of Food Resources and SNAP Allotments

5/7/2012

An IOM committee will examine the adequacy of Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) allotments, specifically the (1) the feasibility of establishing an objective, evidence-based, science-driven definition of SNAP benefit adequacy consistent with the program goals of improving food security and access to a healthy diet, and other relevant dimensions of adequacy, and (2) data and analyses needed to support an evidence-based assessment of the adequacy of SNAP allotments

The Rhoda and Bernard Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health

5/7/2012

The Rhoda and Bernard Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health is awarded annually to individuals, groups, or organizations in order to recognize outstanding achievement in improving mental health services, research, or public policy.

Gustav O. Lienhard Award

5/7/2012

The Gustav O. Lienhard Award, a medal and $40,000, recognizes individuals for outstanding achievement in improving health care services in the United States.

Forum on Aging, Disability, and Independence

5/3/2012

The number of adults 65 years and older and individuals living with disabilities is expected to increase significantly over the next decades. As a result, the need to examine the issues and challenges associated with aging and disability continue to grow in importance for both individuals and society as a whole. The IOM/DBASSE Forum on Aging, Disability, and Independence provides a neutral venue for broad ranging discussions for coordination and integration of aging and disability stakeholders, particularly among public and private entities.

Air Force Health Study (Ranch Hand) Research Assets - Announcement of availability for analysis

4/30/2012

In 1979, the US Congress directed that epidemiologic study be conducted to evaluate the frequency and nature of adverse health effects that might be related to exposure to “Agent Orange” and other military herbicide used during the Vietnam Conflict. The effort—formally called the Air Force Health Study (AFHS) and informally refered to as the Ranch Hand Study—involved Operation Ranch Hand veterans and a comparison group of Air Force personnel who served in southeast Asia but who were not involved in herbicide spraying operations.

After the Study concluded, the Congress directed that its research assets be transferred to the custodianship of the Institute of Medicine (IOM). A later Public Law (110-389) instructed the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to work with the IOM to make the AFHS assets available to scientific investigators for scientifically peer reviewed pilot and other research studies.

Public Health Strategies to Improve Health

4/30/2012

A committee of 18 members will be convened to examine ways to strengthen the public health system. The committee will address a series of 3 topics and will produce 3 consensus reports, over a period of 2.5 years.

Workshop on The Role of Telehealth in an Evolving Health Care Environment

4/26/2012

The IOM will host a public workshop to discuss how the use of telehealth technology can fit into the U.S. health care system. At the workshop, a panel will speak on the potential for telehealth to serve geographically isolated individuals and extend the reach of scarce resources while also emphasizing the quality and value in the delivery of health care services.

The Health Data Initiative

4/25/2012

The Health Data Initiative (HDI), originally launched by the IOM and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as the Community Health Data Initiative, is a public-private collaboration that encourages innovators to utilize health data to develop applications to raise awareness of health and health system performance and spark community action to improve health.

Committee on Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Minors in the United States

4/23/2012

The IOM and the National Research Council will study commercial sexual exploitation of children and sex trafficking of minors in the United States. This study will examine current approaches to addressing the problem at the local, state, and federal levels, and investigate the causes and consequences of commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of minors for both victims and offenders. The study committee will make recommendations that will inform future policy and practices within law enforcement, human services, and health care agencies.

Planning Committee on Exploring the True Cost of Food

4/18/2012

The Institute of Medicine, through collaboration with the National Research Council has initiated a new activity on exploring the hidden costs of food. With support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a committee has been convened to plan and conduct a 1.5 day public information-gathering workshop. The workshop will feature invited expert presentations and focused breakout group discussions.

Improving the Quality of Cancer Care: Addressing the Challenges of an Aging Population

4/17/2012

An IOM committee will examine issues in the quality of cancer care with a specific focus on the demographic changes that will rapidly accelerate the number of new cancer diagnoses at a time when workforce shortages are predicted. The goal of this study is to revisit the quality of cancer care a decade after the first IOM report, Ensuring Quality Cancer Care, was published to determine what has changed, what challenges remain, whether new problems have emerged, and how health care reform might affect quality care. The study will consider quality of care from the perspectives of key stakeholders, including patients, health care providers, and payors.

Food Forum

4/11/2012

The Food Forum convenes scientists, administrators, and policymakers from academia, government, industry, and public sectors on an ongoing basis to discuss problems and issues related to food, food safety, and regulation and to identify possible approaches for addressing those problems and issues.

Strengthening Core Elements of Regulatory Systems in Developing Countries

4/4/2012

At the request of the Food and Drug Administration, the IOM will identify the core elements of needed regulatory systems in developing countries. The IOM will rank these needs and recommend a strategy for the FDA to improve regulatory capacity abroad.

Governance and Financing of Graduate Medical Education

4/4/2012

An IOM committee will: (1) assess current regulation, financing, content, governance, and organization of U.S. graduate medical education (GME) and (2) recommend how to modify GME to produce a physician workforce for a 21st century U.S. health care system that provides high quality preventive, acute, and chronic care, and meets the needs of an aging and more diverse population. The study is expected to begin June 1, 2012.

Regional Member Meetings

4/4/2012

The Institute of Medicine will be hosting two regional events for 2012 at the following locations: March 20 - La Jolla, CA; and April 23 - Nashville, TN.

Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education

4/3/2012

In order for a patient to receive the best care, health education must reflect the changing health care environment. Taking inspiration from the RWJ/IOM’s 2010 report, The Future of Nursing, and the 2010 Lancet Commission report on interdependent health professional education for the 21st century, the IOM Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education aims to apply an ongoing, multi-national, multi-disciplinary approach to exploring promising innovations in the health education. The Forum brings together stakeholders from a variety of disciplines and sectors to engage in dialogue and discussion to illuminate contemporary issues in health professional education

The Public Health Dimensions of the Epilepsies

4/2/2012

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurologic conditions in the United States, affecting at least 1 in 100 adults and 1 in 20 children. The IOM is considering the public health dimensions of epilepsy in the United States--including health care and human services, health literacy, and education--in order to better understand the impact of epilepsy and to find ways to meet the needs of people with epilepsy and their caregivers.

Genomics and the Public's Health in the 21st Century

3/29/2012

Expanded opportunities for disease prevention may be made possible by genetics through improved disease risk assessment and earlier and more accurate diagnoses. IOM proposes to plan and conduct a workshop during which the significance of genomics to population health will be explored.