The CTSA program at NIH : opportunities for advancing clinical and translational research / Committee To Review the Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program at the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Board on Health Sciences Pol

This report provides the IOM committee's findings and recommendations regarding the progress and potential of NIH's CTSA Program. The report covers the breadth of the statement of task and highlights opportunities to bolster the program and ensure its continued success and sustainability in supporting clinical and translational researchers and serving the needs of the communities CTSAs are linked to and in which they reside. Chapter 2 discusses the ecosystem in which NCATS and the CTSA Program operate and provides the committee's vision for the next phase of the CTSA Program. Chapter 3 emphasizes the need for strong and active leadership by NCATS in establishing a clear vision and mission for the program along with measurable goals; supporting individual CTSAs; partnering and collaborating within the NIH and with external partners; and evaluating and communicating the program's value. Chapter 4 highlights specific opportunities and priorities in the areas of training and education, community engagement, and research related to child health. On the basis of discussions, conclusions, and recommendations outlined in the preceding chapters, in Chapter 5 the report concludes with next steps and potential future directions. Read more...

In 2006 the National Institutes of Health (NIH) established the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program, recognizing the need for a new impetus to encourage clinical and translational research. At the time it was very difficult to translate basic and clinical research into clinical and community practice; making it difficult for individual patients and communities to receive its benefits. Since its creation the CTSA Program has expanded, with 61 sites spread across the nation's academic health centers and other institutions, hoping to provide catalysts and test beds for policies and practices that can benefit clinical and translation research organizations throughout the country.

The NIH contracted with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2012 to conduct a study to assess and provide recommendations on appropriateness of the CTSA Program's mission and strategic goals and whether changes were needed. The study was also address the implementation of the program by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) while exploring the CTSA's contributions in the acceleration of the development of new therapeutics. A 13-member committee was established to head this task; the committee had collective expertise in community outreach and engagement, public health and health policy, bioethics, education and training, pharmaceutical research and development, program evaluation, clinical and biomedical research, and child health research.

The CTSA Program at NIH: Opportunities for Advancing Clinical and Translational Research is the result of investigations into previous program evaluations and assessments, open-session meetings and conference class, and the review of scientific literature. Overall, the committee believes that the CTSA Program is significant to the advancement of clinical and translational research through its contributions. The Program would benefit from a variety of revisions, however, to make it more efficient and effective.

The NIH contracted with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2012 to conduct a study to assess and provide recommendations on appropriateness of the CTSA Program's mission and strategic goals and whether changes were needed. The committee was also tasked with providing an independent appraisal of and advice on the implementation of the program by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), while exploring the contributions of CTSAs in accelerating the development of new therapeutics, facilitating disease-specific and child health research, and enhancing the integration of research funded by NIH institutes and centers. To conduct this study, the IOM convened a 13-member committee with expertise in community outreach and engagement, public health and health policy, bioethics, education and training, pharmaceutical research and development, program evaluation, clinical and biomedical research, and child health research, along the full continuum of clinical and translation research. The committee's overarching conclusion is that the CTSA Program is contributing significantly to the advancement of clinical and translational research and is therefore a worthwhile investment that would benefit from a variety of revisions to make it more efficient and effective"-- Source other than Library of Congress.--Résumé de l'éditeur Introduction -- A vision for the CTSA program in a changing landscape -- Leadership -- Crosscutting topics -- Conclusion: opportunities for action.