The Unequal Burden of Cancer: An Assessment of NIH Research and Programs for Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved

Excerpt

An Institute of Medicine (IOM) committee was impaneled in 1998 and was charged with the following: reviewing the status of cancer research relative to minorities and medically underserved populations at the various Institutes, Centers, and Divisions of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to evaluate the relative share of resources allocated to cancer in minorities (including a review of NIH’s ability to prioritize its cancer research agenda for minorities and medically underserved groups and the role of minority scientists in decision making on research priorities); examining how well research results are communicated and applied to cancer prevention and treatment programs for minorities and medically underserved populations, and the adequacy of understanding of survivorship issues that uniquely affect minority and underserved communities; and, examining the adequacy of NIH procedures for equitable recruitment and retention of minorities in clinical trials.

The committee was also asked to make recommendations on an annual reporting mechanism on the status of cancer research at NIH among minority and medically underserved populations.