Society Recommends Measures to Improve Health Disparities

Under the direction of the Advocacy and Public Outreach Core Committee, Dr. Maria Alexander-Bridges and a task force of experts developed a white paper on increasing minority participation in clinical research.  An executive summary of the paper was published in the December 2007 edition of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. The Corporate Liaison Board was asked to provide comment on the paper, and since then the paper has been endorsed by 14 organizations, including most recently by the National Medical Association.  On September 26, 2008 The Endocrine Society presented its recommendations to the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Health Braintrust on measures to increase the participation of racial and ethnic minorities in clinical research. The CBC Health Braintrust, chaired by Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen (D-VI), has worked to improve the health of minorities in the US. 

The Endocrine Society worked to further its advocacy efforts when it presented recommendations from the white paper during the "NIH Summit: The Science of Eliminating Health Disparities," December 16-18, 2008.  The three-day meeting was the first of its kind, bringing together more than 4,000 researchers, government officials, members of non-governmental organizations, policymakers, and other individuals interested in alleviating disparities in health and healthcare in the U.S. to discuss the complex problems and potential solutions. Dr. Alexander-Bridges presented the poster to conference attendees and spoke with representatives of various groups regarding future collaborations.  By actively participating in these important conferences and presenting novel ideas, The Endocrine Society has solidified its position as a serious stakeholder in the area of health disparities and has begun the intricate task of working toward implementation of policies that will bring much-needed change.

If you have any questions please contact Stephanie Kutler, Director, Government Affairs at 301-941-0254 or skutler@endo-society.org.