National Commission on Digestive Diseases
The former Director of the NIH, Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni, established the National Commission on Digestive Diseases based on the mutual interest in advancing digestive diseases research shared by the NIH and the Congress. Consistent with report language accompanying the FY 2005 Labor/HHS appropriations bills, the Commission developed a long-range research plan for digestive diseases. As part of the research plan, the Commission assessed the state-of-the-science in digestive diseases and the related NIH research portfolio, with a view toward identifying areas of research challenge and opportunity. The Commission's research plan will guide the NIH–along with the investigative and lay communities–in pursuing important research avenues to combating digestive diseases.
The NIH solicited and processed nominations for members of the Commission, and announced the appointment of its members by the NIH Director, as described in the link below to "Announcement of Commission Membership." The Commission's diverse membership represented the academic and medical research and practice communities, patient/patient advocacy community, and the NIH and other Federal health agencies. Within the NIH, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) provided leadership and support for the Commission. Dr. Stephen P. James, Director of the Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, NIDDK, served as Commission chair. The Commission formed Working Groups composed of Commission members and external experts in the research and professional/patient advocacy communities to provide input for the research plan. Broad stakeholder input into the research plan was obtained from across the entire digestive diseases research community during a month-long public comment period. The final research plan, entitled Opportunities and Challenges in Digestive Diseases Research: Recommendations of the National Commission on Digestive Diseases, is now available through the links below.
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Research Plan:
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Membership:
Establishment:
Page last updated: March 24, 2010
