Dr. Michael Lauer, the director of
the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), recently wrote an editorial in JAMA1 calling for
“creative transformation” of epidemiology research in the United States. He states:
Dr. Lauer sums the needed actions into the following key elements:
Dr. Lauer concluded his JAMA editorial:
References:
“…Yet today, despite these extraordinary contributions, the value of epidemiology is questioned. Critics cite excess expense, repudiated findings, studies that offer small incremental knowledge, inability to innovate at reasonable cost, and failure to identify research questions with the greatest merit. At a time of unprecedented budgetary constraints, these critics wonder what epidemiology has done for medical science lately…”.Dr. Lauer's comments are crucial especially with the recent budget sequestration to limit United States' federal spending to meet the deficit targets that will likely affect the already decreased funding medical research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH Director, Dr. Francis Collins, MD, PhD, stated that the NIH already lost 20% of its purchasing power for medical research. Furthermore, such cuts will force the NIH to fund 2300 fewer grants in 2013. Such automatic cuts will be "devastating". Of course I don't have to mention the accompanying economic crisis worldwide.
Dr. Lauer sums the needed actions into the following key elements:
“… Such transformations will likely include refocused scientific questions, centralized and integrated governance, different types of exposure and outcome measures, and embedded clinical and policy trials…”The driving passion behind initiating this academic epidemiology blog is to discuss the latest findings from epidemiologic research of mainly non-communicable diseases that would be of interest to epidemiologists, epidemiologists-in-training, and practicing physicians. Our main focus will be directed towards discussing groundbreaking findings that affects clinical practice, policy-making and lifestyle.
Dr. Lauer concluded his JAMA editorial:
“These transformations will also ensure that epidemiology will have much to give, whether lately or later.”I am sure we will!
References:
1.
Lauer, M. S. (2012) Time for a creative transformation of
epidemiology in the United States. JAMA 308, 1804-1805
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