Transcript IOM Reports

Institute of Medicine (IOM)
Reports
This summary was prepared by the 2009 JEMF Project Team
IOM Reports

The Institute of Medicine of the National
Academies has sponsored comprehensive
reports on health disparities, the health of
unique and vulnerable populations, workforce
issues, health care quality, genetics and
genomics and health, research in health care,
and other topics.

IOM Reports cite the evidence base and set
the national standards in health and health
care.
IOM Reports

Search by topic or keywords on the Institute
of Medicine home page:
http://www.iom.edu/Reports.aspx

We reviewed IOM reports from the past 10
years and color coded them by topic.

See the next slide for the color coding key
and IOM reports listed in this document.
Topics
 Health Disparities
Slides
 5 - 14
 Health Literacy
 15 - 18
 Mental Health
 19 - 23
 Vulnerable Populations
 24 - 41
 Health Insurance
 42 - 49
 General Public Health
 50 - 58
 Research
 59 - 63
 Complementary & Alternative Medicine
 64 - 67
 Healthcare Workforce
 68 - 72
 Genetics & Genomics
 73 - 82
Health Disparities
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In its work around select populations, the IOM examines
significant health concerns that may affect groups of
individuals categorized by common occupation,
environment, health conditions or characteristics, or a
shared exposure to a unique health risk. Of particular
note are the IOM’s efforts around racial and ethnic
disparities in health and health care.
From IOM topic “Select Populations and Health Disparities”
http://www.iom.edu/Global/Topics/Select-Populations-Health-Disparities.aspx
Focusing on Children’s Health:
Community Approaches to Addressing
Health Disparities. Workshop Summary
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Released: September 2, 2009
Socioeconomic conditions are known to have
profound and long-term effects on health at all
stages of life, from pregnancy through childhood and
adulthood. Sensitive and critical periods of
development, such as the prenatal period and early
childhood, present significant opportunities to
influence lifelong health. Yet simply intervening in
the health care system is insufficient to influence
health outcomes early in life. On January 24, 2008,
the Institute of Medicine’s Roundtable on Health
Disparities and Board on Children, Youth, and
Families co-hosted a public workshop to discuss the
important foundations of adult health that are laid
prenatally and in early childhood.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2009/FocusChildren
sHealth.aspx
Race, Ethnicity, and Language Data:
Standardization for Health Care Quality
Improvement
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Released: August 31, 2009
The quality of health care in the United States is not
optimal, and the pace of improvement is slow. In
addition, disparities persist for specific population
groups. A fundamental step in identifying which
populations are most at risk is to collect data on race,
ethnicity, and English-language proficiency. The
Institute of Medicine (IOM) formed the Subcommittee
on Standardized Collection of Race/Ethnicity Data for
Healthcare Quality Improvement to examine
approaches to standardization. In this 2009 report, the
subcommittee recommends collection of more granular
ethnicity and language need according to national
standards in addition to OMB race and Hispanic
ethnicity categories.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2009/RaceEthnicityDat
a.aspx
Toward Health Equity and Patient-Centeredness:
Integrating Health Literacy, Disparities Reduction,
and Quality Improvement. Workshop Summary
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Released: February 23, 2009
During a time of economic uncertainty, the national
discussion of health reform understandably focuses on
insurance coverage and cost. To receive the greatest
value for health care, it is important to focus on issues
of quality and disparity, and the ability of individuals to
make appropriate decisions based on basic health
knowledge and services, or health literacy. Three IOM
bodies (the Forum on the Science of Health Care
Quality Improvement and Implementation, the
Roundtable on Health Disparities, and the Roundtable
on Health Literacy) jointly convened a workshop to
discuss these concerns.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2009/Toward-HealthEquity-and-Patient-Centeredness-IntegratingHealth-Literacy-Disparities-Reduction-and-QualityImprovement-Workshop-Summary.aspx
Challenges and Successes in Reducing
Health Disparities. Workshop Summary
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Released: June 17, 2008
In early 2007, the Institute of Medicine
convened the Roundtable on Health Disparities
to increase the visibility of racial and ethnic
health disparities as a national problem, to
further the development of programs and
strategies to reduce disparities, to foster the
emergence of leadership on this issue, and to
track promising activities and developments in
health care that could lead to dramatically
reducing or eliminating disparities.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2008/Challenge
s-and-Successes-in-Reducing-HealthDisparities-Workshop-Summary.aspx
Examining the Health Disparities Research
Plan of the National Institutes of Health:
Unfinished Business
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Released: March 6, 2006
The health of racial and ethnic minorities, poor
people, and other disadvantaged groups in the
United States is worse than the health of the overall
population. National concerns for these differences,
termed health disparities, and the associated excess
mortality and morbidity have been expressed as a
high priority in national health status reviews,
including Healthy People 2000 and 2010. The
National Institutes of Health (NIH) ranks this issue
third among its top five priorities.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2006/Examiningthe-Health-Disparities-Research-Plan-of-theNational-Institutes-of-Health-UnfinishedBusiness.aspx
Estimating the Contributions of LifestyleRelated Factors to Preventable Death: A
Workshop Summary
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Released: June 1, 2005
The Institute of Medicine of the National
Academies held a workshop, December 13-14,
2004, to estimate the contributions of lifestylerelated factors to preventable death.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2005/Estimatin
g-the-Contributions-of-Lifestyle-RelatedFactors-to-Preventable-Death-A-WorkshopSummary.aspx
Guidance for the National Healthcare
Disparities Report
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Released: September 27, 2002
Research has extensively documented the
pervasiveness of racial and ethnic disparities in
health care. In 1999, as part of a national effort to
eliminate health care disparities, Congress required
the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
(AHRQ) to produce an annual report to be called the
National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR). In
this report, titled Guidance for the National
Healthcare Disparities Report, an IOM committee
was asked to provide guidance to AHRQ to help
fulfill the potential of the NHDR.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2002/Guidance-forthe-National-Healthcare-Disparities-Report.aspx
Speaking of Health: Assessing Health
Communication Strategies for Diverse
Populations Released: July 6, 2002
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Communication interventions intended to affect health
behavior are an increasingly important strategy for
improving the health of the American people. However,
effective communication is highly dependent upon the
social and cultural milieu that shapes the individuals,
families, and communities that are the intended
recipients. Because we live in an increasingly diverse
nation, it is important to understand more fully how
these different messages should be constructed and
delivered. This report, Speaking of Health: Assessing
Health Communication Strategies for Diverse
Populations, addresses the challenge of improving
health communications in a racially and culturally
diverse society.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2002/Speaking-ofHealth-Assessing-Health-CommunicationStrategies-for-Diverse-Populations.aspx
Unequal Treatment: Confronting
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in
Health Care Released: March 20, 2002
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Congress, in 1999, requested an IOM study to
assess the extent of disparities in the types and
quality of health services received by U.S. racial and
ethnic minorities and non-minorities; explore factors
that may contribute to inequities in care; and
recommend policies and practices to eliminate these
inequities. The report from that study, Unequal
Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities
in Health Care, found that a consistent body of
research demonstrates significant variation in the
rates of medical procedures by race, even when
insurance status, income, age, and severity of
conditions are comparable.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2002/UnequalTreatment-Confronting-Racial-and-EthnicDisparities-in-Health-Care.aspx
Health Literacy
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Health literacy is defined in Healthy People
2010 as: "The degree to which individuals
have the capacity to obtain, process, and
understand basic health information and
services needed to make appropriate health
decisions.”
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Healthy People 2010:
http://www.healthypeople.gov/Document/pdf/uih/2010uih.pdf
From IOM topic “Select Populations and Health Disparities”
http://www.iom.edu/Global/Topics/Select-Populations-Health-Disparities.aspx
Measures of Health Literacy.
Workshop Summary
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Released: December 8, 2009
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Understanding and using basic health
information and being able to navigate the
complexities of the health care system are
critical to good health. Health literacy can be
difficult to assess, however, as it is not only a
measure of individuals’ understanding of health
information at various points in time but also a
measure of how well various health care
systems have been organized. The Roundtable
on Health Literacy held a workshop on
February 26, 2009, to examine what is known
about measures of health literacy.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2009/Measuresof-Health-Literacy.aspx
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Health Literacy, eHealth, and
Communication: Putting the
Consumer First. Workshop Summary
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Released: March 24, 2009
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There is great enthusiasm over the use of emerging
interactive health information technologies—often
referred to as eHealth—and the potential these
technologies have to improve the quality, capacity, and
efficiency of the health care system. However, many
doctors, advocacy groups, policy makers and
consumers are concerned that electronic health
systems might help individuals and communities with
greater resources while leaving behind those with
limited access to technology. In order to address this
problem, the Institute of Medicine’s Roundtable on
Health Literacy held a workshop.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2009/Health-LiteracyeHealth-and-Communication-Putting-theConsumer-First-Workshop-Summary.aspx
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Health Literacy: A Prescription to End
Confusion
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Released: April 8, 2004
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Nearly half of all American adults--90 million people-have difficulty understanding and using health
information, and there is a higher rate of hospitalization
and use of emergency services among patients with
limited health literacy, says a report from the Institute of
Medicine titled Health Literacy: A Prescription to End
Confusion. Limited health literacy may lead to billions of
dollars in avoidable health care costs. A concerted
effort by the public health and health care systems, the
education system, the media, and health care
consumers is needed to improve the nation's health
literacy, the report says.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2004/Health-Literacy-APrescription-to-End-Confusion.aspx
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Mental Health
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Individuals who have substance abuse or mental
health problems can face particular health
challenges. For example, they frequently
experience difficulties in accessing, receiving,
and benefiting from care. The IOM examines
such concerns in its activities related to
neuroscience and mental and behavioral health.
From the IOM website under topic “Substance Abuse and Mental Health”
http://www.iom.edu/Global/Topics/Substance-Abuse-Mental-Health.aspx
Depression in Parents, Parenting, and
Children: Opportunities to Improve
Identification, Treatment, and Prevention
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Released: June 9, 2009
Depression is a widespread condition affecting
approximately 7.5 million parents in the U.S. each year
and may be putting at least 15 million children at risk
for adverse health outcomes. Based on evidentiary
studies, major depression in either parent can interfere
with parenting quality and increase the risk of children
developing mental, behavioral and social problems.
This report highlights disparities in the prevalence,
identification, treatment, and prevention of parental
depression among different sociodemographic
populations. It also outlines strategies for effective
intervention and identifies the need for a more
interdisciplinary approach that takes biological,
psychological, behavioral, interpersonal, and social
contexts into consideration.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2009/Depression-inParents-Parenting-and-Children-Opportunities-toImprove-Identification-Treatment-and-Prevention.aspx
Preventing Mental, Emotional, and
Behavioral Disorders Among Young
People: Progress and Possibilities
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Released: March 12, 2009
Mental health and substance use disorders among
children, youth, and young adults are major threats to
the health and well-being of younger populations which
often carryover into adulthood. The costs of treatment
for mental health and addictive disorders, which create
an enormous burden on the affected individuals, their
families, and society, have stimulated increasing
interest in prevention practices that can impede the
onset or reduce the severity of the disorders. This
report updates a 1994 Institute of Medicine book,
Reducing Risks for Mental Disorders, focusing on the
research base and program experience with younger
populations that have emerged since that time.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2009/Preventing-MentalEmotional-and-Behavioral-Disorders-Among-YoungPeople-Progress-and-Possibilities.asp
Improving the Quality of Health Care
for Mental and Substance-Use
Conditions: Quality Chasm Series
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Released: November 1, 2005
This report, Improving the Quality of Health Care for
Mental and Substance-Use Conditions: Quality
Chasm Series, examines the differences in health
care for mental and substance-use conditions, finds
that the Quality Chasm framework is applicable to
health care for mental and substance-use conditions,
and describes a multifaceted and comprehensive
strategy to apply the Quality Chasm framework.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2005/Improving-theQuality-of-Health-Care-for-Mental-and-SubstanceUse-Conditions-Quality-Chasm-Series.aspx
The Unequal Burden of Cancer: An
Assessment of NIH Research and Programs
for Ethnic Minorities and the Medically
Underserved
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Released: January 1, 1999
We know more about cancer prevention, detection, and
treatment than ever before--yet not all segments of the
U.S. population have benefited to the fullest extent
possible from these advances. Some ethnic minorities
experience more cancer than the majority population,
and poor people--no matter what their ethnicity--often
lack access to adequate cancer care. This report
provides an authoritative view of cancer as it is
experienced by ethnic minorities and the medically
underserved.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/1999/The-UnequalBurden-of-Cancer-An-Assessment-of-NIHResearch-and-Programs-for-Ethnic-Minorities-andthe-Medically-Underserved.aspx
Vulnerable Populations
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The term "vulnerable populations," refers to social
groups with increased relative risk (i.e. exposure to risk
factors) or susceptibility to health-related problems. This
vulnerability is evidenced in higher comparative mortality
rates, lower life expectancy, reduced access to care, and
diminished quality of life. Vulnerable populations are
often discriminated against, marginalized and
disenfranchised from mainstream society, contributing to
their lower social status and lack of power in personal,
social, and political relationships.
Center for Vulnerable Populations Research,
http://www.nursing.ucla.edu/orgs/cvpr/who-arevulnerable.html
From the Center for Vulnerable Populations Research:
http://www.nursing.ucla.edu/orgs/cvpr/who-are-vulnerable.html
Adolescent Health Services: Missing
Opportunities
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Released: December 9, 2008
Adolescence is a time when youth establish health
habits, both good and bad, that often last a lifetime. Yet
the U.S. health care system today is not designed to
help young people develop healthy routines, behaviors,
and relationships to prepare them for adulthood.
Adolescent Health Services examines the health status
of adolescents and reviews the separate and
uncoordinated programs and services that currently
exist in multiple public and private health care settings.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2008/AdolescentHealth-Services-Missing-Opportunities.aspx
The National Children's Study
Research Plan: A Review
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Released: September 12, 2008
The National Children's Study (NCS) is planned to be
the largest long-term study of environmental and
genetic effects on children's health ever conducted in
the United States. It proposes to examine the effects of
environmental influences on the health and
development of approximately 100,000 children across
the United States, following them from before birth until
age 21. By archiving all of the data collected, the NCS
is intended to provide a valuable resource for analyses
conducted many years into the future. This book
evaluates the research plan for the NCS, by assessing
the scientific rigor of the study and the extent to which it
is being carried out with methods, measures, and
collection of data and specimens to maximize the
scientific yield of the study.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2008/The-NationalChildrens-Study-Research-Plan-A-Review.aspx
Challenges in Adolescent Health Care.
Workshop Report
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Released: October 26, 2007
This report summarizes two workshops convened by
the Committee on Adolescent Health Care Services
and Models of Care for Treatment, Prevention, and
Healthy Development, which is conducting a two-year
study of adolescent health services in the United States
with funding from the Atlantic Philanthropies. This
workshop report, which is the first in a series of
products associated with this study, takes stock of the
current knowledge base on adolescent health services,
settings and systems and offers perspectives from
researchers, health professionals who work with youth,
and youth themselves in describing the current status,
strengths, and shortcomings of current delivery
systems.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2007/Challenges-inAdolescent-Health-Care-Workshop-Report.aspx
A Study of Interactions: Emerging
Issues in the Study of Adolescence: A
Workshop Summary
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Released: March 22, 2006
Summarizing the major themes discussed at a
September 2005 workshop, this report provides an
initial overview of key findings from different fields of
research on adolescence and highlights fundamental
processes that shape adolescent health and
development.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2006/A-Study-ofInteractions-Emerging-Issues-in-the-Study-ofAdolescence-A-Workshop-Summary.aspx
Workshop on Disability in America: A
New Look - Summary and
Background Papers
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Released: March 1, 2006
This report from the Institute of Medicine summarizes a
workshop convened in August 2005 for the first phase
of a project that will take a new look at disability in
America and update the 1991 IOM report by that name.
The final report, which will include recommendations, is
now available and is titled The Future of Disability in
America.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2006/Workshop-onDisability-in-America-A-New-Look---Summary-andBackground-Papers.aspx
The Future of Disability in America
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Released: April 23, 2007
To better understand disability in the United
States, the Centers for Disease Control, the
Department of Education, and the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) asked the Institute of
Medicine (IOM) to assess the current situation
and provide recommendations for
improvement, which culminated in the report
The Future of Disability in America.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2007/TheFuture-of-Disability-in-America.aspx
Ethical Considerations for Research
Involving Prisoners
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Released: July 12, 2006
Because prisoners face restrictions on liberty and
autonomy, limited privacy, and often inadequate
health care, they require specific protections when
involved in research, particularly in today’s
correctional settings. Given these issues, the
Department of Health and Human Services’ Office
for Human Research Protections commissioned the
Institute of Medicine to review the ethical
considerations regarding research involving
prisoners. Ethical Considerations for Research
Involving Prisoners emphasizes five broad actions to
provide prisoners involved in research with critically
important protections.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2006/EthicalConsiderations-for-Research-InvolvingPrisoners.aspx
Cancer in Elderly People: Workshop
Proceedings
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Released: March 22, 2007
The IOM's National Cancer Policy Forum sponsored a
public workshop addressing several issues related to
cancer and aging; including cancer rehabilitation,
increased prevalence of cancer survivors, end of life
care, the role of nurses, and Medicare costs in geriatric
oncology.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2007/Cancer-in-ElderlyPeople-Workshop-Proceedings.aspx
Quality Through Collaboration: The
Future of Rural Health
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Released: November 1, 2004
Rural America is a vital component of American
society. Representing nearly 20 percent of the
population, rural communities, like urban landscapes,
are rich in cultural diversity. However, the smaller,
poorer, and more isolated a rural community is, the
more difficult it is to ensure the availability of highquality health services. The Institute of Medicine report,
Quality Through Collaboration: The Future of Rural
Health examines the quality of health care in rural
America.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2004/Quality-ThroughCollaboration-The-Future-of-Rural-Health.aspx
Children's Health, the Nation's
Wealth: Assessing and Improving
Child Health
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Released: June 24, 2004
Children's health has clearly improved over the past
several decades. Yet major questions still remain about
how to assess the status of children's health, what
factors should be monitored, and the appropriate
measurement tools that should be used. Children's
Health, The Nation's Wealth provides a detailed
examination of the information about children's health
that is needed to help policy makers and program
providers at the federal, state, and local levels.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2004/Childrens-Healththe-Nations-Wealth-Assessing-and-ImprovingChild-Health.aspx
Ethical Conduct of Clinical Research
Involving Children
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Released: March 24, 2004
To address concerns about the adequacy of the current
system for protecting child participants in research
given a public commitment to expanding pediatric
clinical research, the Institute of Medicine convened the
Committee on Clinical Research Involving Children.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2004/Ethical-Conductof-Clinical-Research-Involving-Children.aspx
Lesbian Health: Current Assessment
and Directions for the Future
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Released: April 7, 2003
Women's health, as a field of study, is a developing
discipline. Health theories in general have been based
on studies of men. However, in recent years, more
attention has shifted to women's health, realizing the
disparities between men and women in relation to their
health. During the last two decades, a similar shift has
occurred for a group of women--lesbian women--to
further identify and specify their health needs. Lesbian
Health: Current Assessment and Directions for the
Future takes a frank look at the political pressures,
community attitudes, and professional concerns
uniquely affecting the study of lesbian health issues.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2003/Lesbian-HealthCurrent-Assessment-and-Directions-for-theFuture.aspx
Adolescent Risk and Vulnerability:
Concepts and Measurements
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Released: October 18, 2001
Adolescent Risk and Vulnerability is a summary of a
workshop held in 2001 by the Board on Children,
Youth, and Families. The workshop's goal was to put
into perspective the total burden of vulnerability that
adolescents have, taking advantage of the growing
societal concern for adolescents, the need to set
priorities for adolescents' needs, and the opportunity to
apply decision-making perspectives to this critical area.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2001/Adolescent-Riskand-Vulnerability-Concepts-andMeasurements.aspx
Exploring the Biological Contributions
to Human Health: Does Sex Matter?
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Released: April 24, 2001
The Institute of Medicine formed a committee
to evaluate and consider the current
understanding of sex differences and
determinants at the biological level and to
identify current and potential barriers to the
conduct of research in this area.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2001/Exploringthe-Biological-Contributions-to-HumanHealth-Does-Sex-Matter.aspx
Children of Immigrants: Health,
Adjustment, and Public Assistance
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Released: January 1, 1999
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Children of Immigrants represents some of the
very best and most extensive research efforts
to date on the circumstances, health, and
development of children in immigrant families
and the delivery of health and social services to
these children and their families.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/1999/Childrenof-Immigrants-Health-Adjustment-andPublic-Assistance.aspx
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Gender Differences in Susceptibility
to Environmental Factors: A Priority
Assessment
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Released: January 1, 1998
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In 1996 the Office for Research on Women's Health at
the National Institutes of Health asked the Institute of
Medicine to conduct a workshop study to review some
of the current federal research programs devoted to
women's health and to clarify the state of knowledge
regarding gender-related differences in susceptibility.
This book contains a general outline of research needs,
a summary of the workshop proceedings (as well as
summaries of the speakers' presentations), and an
analysis of the participating federal agencies' research
portfolios.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/1998/GenderDifferences-in-Susceptibility-to-EnvironmentalFactors-A-Priority-Assessment.aspx
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From Generation to Generation: The
Health and Well-Being of Children in
Immigrant Families
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Released: January 1, 1998
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From Generation to Generation explores what
we know about the development of white,
black, Hispanic, and Asian children and youth
from numerous countries of origin. Describing
the status of immigrant children and youth as
"severely understudied," the committee both
draws on and supplements existing research to
characterize the current status and outlook of
immigrant children.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/1998/FromGeneration-to-Generation-The-Health-andWell-Being-of-Children-in-ImmigrantFamilies.aspx
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Health Insurance
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For many, lack of health care is a persistent
barrier to good health. The IOM examines the
twin issues of health insurance coverage and
access as well as taking a broad view of health
care services. The IOM considers subjects such
as the organization, financing, effectiveness,
workforce, and delivery of health care.
From the IOM topic Health Services, Coverage, and Access
http://www.iom.edu/Global/Topics/Health-Services-Coverage-Access.aspx
America's Uninsured Crisis:
Consequences for Health and Health
Care
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Released: February 23, 2009
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For decades, the health insurance crisis has grown
without any decisive action by policy makers to stop it.
Now is the time for action, say the report’s authors,
recommending that the President work with Congress
and other public and private sector leaders on an
urgent basis to achieve health insurance coverage for
everyone and, in order to make that coverage
sustainable, to reduce the costs of health care and the
rate of increase in health care spending.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2009/AmericasUninsured-Crisis-Consequences-for-Health-andHealth-Care.aspx
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Coverage Matters: Insurance and
Health Care
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Released: October 11, 2001
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This is the first of six reports on the problems of
uninsurance in the United States and
addresses the extent to which Americans are
without coverage, identifies social, economic,
and policy factors that contribute to the
situation, and reports the relative probability of
being uninsured for various groups.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2001/CoverageMatters-Insurance-and-Health-Care.aspx
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Care Without Coverage: Too Little,
Too Late
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Released: May 21, 2002
Care Without Coverage: Too Little, Too Late,
the second report in a series of six from the
Institiute of Medicine's Committee on the
Consequences of Uninsurance, examines the
real consequences for adults who lack health
insurance.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2002/CareWithout-Coverage-Too-Little-Too-Late.aspx
Health Insurance is a Family Matter
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Released: September 18, 2002
Health Insurance Is a Family Matter is the third of a
series of six reports on the problems of uninsurance
in the United States and addresses the impact on
the family of not having health insurance. The report
examines the consequences for family health,
financial stability, and general well-being. In the
report, the Committee concludes that the financial,
physical, and emotional well-being of all members of
a family may be adversely affected if any family
member lacks coverage.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2002/HealthInsurance-is-a-Family-Matter.aspx
A Shared Destiny: Community Effects
of Uninsurance

Released: April 2, 2003

A Shared Destiny: Community Effects of
Uninsurance is the fourth of a series of six
reports on the problems of uninsurance in the
United States. The report examines how the
quality, quantity, and scope of health services
within the community can be affected adversely
by having a large or growing uninsured
population.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2003/A-SharedDestiny-Community-Effects-ofUninsurance.aspx

Hidden Costs, Value Lost:
Uninsurance in America

Released: June 18, 2003

Hidden Costs, Value Lost: Uninsurance in America, the
fifth of a series of six reports on the consequences of
uninsurance in the United States, illustrates some of
the economic and social losses to the country of
maintaining so many people without health insurance.
The report explores the potential economic and societal
benefits that could be realized if everyone had health
insurance on a continuous basis, as people over age
65 currently do with Medicare.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2003/Hidden-CostsValue-Lost-Uninsurance-in-America.aspx

Insuring America's Health: Principles
and Recommendations

Released: January 13, 2004

This report is the culmination of a series that offers the
most comprehensive examination to date of the
consequences of lack of health insurance on
individuals, their families, communities and the whole
society. The principles to guide health finance reform
that are recommended in this sixth and final report of
the series are based on the evidence reviewed in the
Committee's previous five reports and on new analyses
of past and present federal, state, and local efforts to
reduce uninsurance.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2004/InsuringAmericas-Health-Principles-andRecommendations.aspx

General Public Health

Since its founding, the IOM has advanced the
best ways to ensure the public’s health. Studies
range from core principles and needs in the field
of public health to specific issues such as
vaccine safety and smoking cessation. Our
scope includes population-based public health
measures and the public health infrastructure.
From IOM topic “Public Health”
http://www.iom.edu/Global/Topics/Public-Health.aspx
State of the USA Health Indicators.
Letter Report

Released: December 9, 2008

In 2008, the nonprofit State of the USA, Inc. (SUSA)
asked the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on the
State of the USA Health Indicators to provide guidance
on 20 key indicators to be used on the organization’s
website that would be valuable in assessing health.
Taken together, the selected indicators reflect the
overall health of the nation and the efficiency and
efficacy of U.S. health systems. The complete list of 20
can be found in the report brief and report.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2008/State-of-the-USAHealth-Indicators-Letter-Report.aspx

Knowing What Works in Health Care:
A Roadmap for the Nation

Released: January 24, 2008

Solutions to some of the nation’s most pressing health
policy problems hinge on the ability to identify which
diagnostic, treatment, and prevention services work
best for various patients and circumstances. A new
Institute of Medicine report, Knowing What Works in
Health Care: A Roadmap for the Nation, provides a
blueprint for a national program to assess the
effectiveness of clinical services and to provide
credible, unbiased information about what really works
in health care.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2008/Knowing-WhatWorks-in-Health-Care-A-Roadmap-for-theNation.aspx

1st Annual Crossing the Quality
Chasm Summit: A Focus on
Communities

Released: September 14, 2004

On January 6 and 7, 2004, the Institute of Medicine
(IOM) hosted the 1st Annual Crossing the Quality
Chasm Summit, convening a diverse group of national
and community health care leaders to pool their
knowledge and resources with regard to strategies for
improving patient care for five common chronic
illnesses: asthma, depression, diabetes, heart failure,
and pain control in advanced cancer.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2004/1st-AnnualCrossing-the-Quality-Chasm-Summit-A-Focus-onCommunities.aspx

Measuring What Matters: Allocation,
Planning, and Quality Assessment for
the Ryan White CARE Act



Released: November 7, 2003
In response to a congressional mandate, an IOM
committee was formed to reevaluate whether CARE
allocation strategies are an equitable and efficient
way of distributing resources to jurisdictions with the
greatest needs and to assess whether quality of
care can be refined and expanded.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2003/MeasuringWhat-Matters-Allocation-Planning-and-QualityAssessment-for-the-Ryan-White-CARE-Act.aspx
Leading Health Indicators for Healthy
People 2010: Final Report


Released: April 7, 2003
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2003/LeadingHealth-Indicators-for-Healthy-People-2010Final-Report.aspx
Priority Areas for National Action:
Transforming Health Care Quality



Released: January 7, 2003
In this report, the committee recommends a set of
20 priority areas that the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services (DHHS) and other groups in
the public and private sectors should focus on to
improve the quality of health care delivered to all
Americans. The priority areas selected represent the
entire spectrum of health care from preventive care
to end of life care. They also touch on all age
groups, health care settings and health care
providers. Collective action in these areas could help
transform the entire health care system.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2003/Priority-Areasfor-National-Action-Transforming-Health-CareQuality.aspx
Health and Behavior: The Interplay of
Biological, Behavioral, and Societal
Influences



Released: May 21, 2001
Health and Behavior reviews our improved
understanding of the complex interplay among
biological, psychological, and social influences
and explores findings suggested by recent
research-including interventions at multiple
levels that we can employ to improve human
health.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2001/Healthand-Behavior-The-Interplay-of-BiologicalBehavioral-and-Societal-Influences.aspx
Measuring the Quality of Health Care



Released: February 1, 1998
This report first describes quality of care based
on the IOM's 1990 definition and then outlines
the burden of harm from poor quality. It then
describes major approaches to and recent
advances in quality measurement. Finally, it
describes some of the challenges facing this
field.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/1998/Measurin
g-the-Quality-of-Health-Care.aspx
Research

Underlying health and health care is an
important science base. The IOM work in
biomedical and health research pertains to both
the discovery and application of new knowledge.
From IOM topic “Biomedical and Health Research”
http://www.iom.edu/Global/Topics/Biomedical-Health-Research.aspx
Integrity in Scientific Research:
Creating an Environment That
Promotes Responsible Conduct



Released: July 15, 2002
This report focuses on the research
environment and attempts to define and
describe those elements that allow and
encourage unique individuals, regardless of
their role in the research organization or their
backgrounds on entry, to act with integrity.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2002/Integrityin-Scientific-Research-Creating-anEnvironment-That-Promotes-ResponsibleConduct.aspx
Preserving Public Trust: Accreditation
and Human Research Participant
Protection Programs



Released: April 17, 2001
Preserving Public Trust: Accreditation and
Human Research Participant Protection
Programs, responds, at the request of DHHS,
to the increasing concern over patient safety
and shutdowns of research operations in the
United States.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2001/Preservin
g-Public-Trust-Accreditation-and-HumanResearch-Participant-ProtectionPrograms.aspx
Toward Environmental Justice:
Research, Education, and Health
Policy Needs



Released: March 1, 1999
Is environmental degradation worse in poor
and minority communities? Do these
communities suffer more adverse health effects
as a result? The committee addresses these
questions and explores how current
fragmentation in health policy could be
replaced with greater coordination among
federal, state, and local parties.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/1999/TowardEnvironmental-Justice-ResearchEducation-and-Health-Policy-Needs.aspx
Responsible Research: A Systems
Approach to Protecting Research
Participants



Released: October 3, 2002
Broader federal oversight is needed to ensure
that all people who take part in research
studies, regardless of whether they are publicly
or privately funded, have the same necessary
protections for their health and well-being, says
the report, Responsible Research: A Systems
Approach to Protecting Research Participants.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2002/Responsi
ble-Research-A-Systems-Approach-toProtecting-Research-Participants.aspx
Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
refers to a group of diverse medical and health
care systems, practices, and products that are
not generally considered part of conventional
medicine.
Use of Dietary Supplements by
Military Personnel



Released: June 9, 2008
The use of dietary supplements has become
increasingly popular among members of the military.
While some supplements may provide benefits to
health, others could carry adverse effects that might
compromise the readiness and performance of
service members. The U.S. Department of Defense,
the Samueli Institute, the National Institutes of
Health (NIH), with additional support from the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA), requested that the
Institute of Medicine (IOM) review the use of dietary
supplements by military personnel, recommending a
framework to identify the need for management of
dietary supplement use within the military, and
developing an approach to report adverse health
events.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2008/Use-of-DietarySupplements-by-Military-Personnel.aspx
Complementary and Alternative
Medicine in the United States



Released: January 12, 2005
At the request of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality, the IOM produced the report titled
Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the
United States, which assesses what is known about
Americans' reliance on those therapies and also
assists the NIH in developing research methods and
setting priorities for evaluating products and
approaches within CAM.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2005/Complementar
y-and-Alternative-Medicine-in-the-UnitedStates.aspx
Dietary Supplements: A Framework
for Evaluating Safety



Released: April 1, 2004
Although vitamin and supplement manufacturers are
restricted from claiming that using their products
leads to therapeutic benefits, surveys show that
many people take supplements for purposes such
as treating colds or alleviating depression. According
to other survey data, the majority of consumers
believe these products to be either reasonably or
completely safe. To bolster the FDA's ability to
evaluate the safety of dietary supplements, the
Institute of Medicine report Dietary Supplements: A
Framework for Evaluating Safety outlines a sciencebased process for assessing supplement
ingredients, even when data about a substance's
safety in humans is scarce.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2004/DietarySupplements-A-Framework-for-EvaluatingSafety.aspx
Health Care Workforce

Chief among the resources of our health care
system is the workforce that assumes the task.
The IOM recognizes the importance of the
health care workforce and examines such issues
as the preparedness of certain sectors to meet
patient demand and the protection of health care
workers against threats like pandemics, among
others.
From IOM topic “Healthcare Workforce”
http://www.iom.edu/Global/Topics/Health-Care-Workforce.aspx
In the Nation's Compelling Interest:
Ensuring Diversity in the Health Care
Workforce



Released: February 5, 2004
The report examines institutional and policy-level
strategies - defined as specific policies and
programs of health professions schools, their
associations and accreditation bodies, health care
systems/organizations, and state and federal
governments - to increase diversity among health
professionals.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2004/In-the-NationsCompelling-Interest-Ensuring-Diversity-in-theHealth-Care-Workforce.aspx
Who Will Keep the Public Healthy?
Workshop Summary



Released: August 4, 2003
On May 22, 2003 in Washington, DC the Institute of
Medicine held a workshop to explore the recently
released report, Who Will Keep the Public Healthy?
Educating Public Health Professionals for the 21st
Century. Representatives of the public health
practice and academic communities joined to review
the report and to discuss how to proceed to
implement the recommendations of this report. This
summary is a report of that meeting. It includes
suggestions from the six workgroups for next steps
necessary to move forward in implementing the
recommendations.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2003/Who-WillKeep-the-Public-Healthy-WorkshopSummary.aspx
Health Professions Education: A
Bridge to Quality



Released: April 18, 2003
On June 17-18, 2002 over 150 leaders and experts
from health professions education, regulation, policy,
advocacy, quality, and industry attended the Health
Professions Education Summit to discuss and help
the committee develop strategies for restructuring
clinical education to be consistent with the principles
of the 21st-century health system.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2003/HealthProfessions-Education-A-Bridge-to-Quality.aspx
The Right Thing to Do, The Smart Thing to
Do: Enhancing Diversity in Health
Summary of the Symposium on Diversity in Health
Professions.Professions in Honor of Herbert W. Nickens, M.D.



Released: August 31, 2001
The Symposium on Diversity in the Health Professions
in Honor of Herbert W. Nickens, M.D. was convened in
March 2001 to provide a forum for health policymakers,
health professions educators, education policymakers,
researchers, and others to address three significant and
contradictory challenges. The Right Thing to Do, The
Smart Thing to Do: Enhancing Diversity in Health
Professions illustrates how the health care industry and
health care professions are fighting to retain the public’s
confidence so that the U.S. health care system can
continue to be the world’s best.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2001/The-Right-Thingto-Do-The-Smart-Thing-to-Do-Enhancing-Diversityin-Health-Professions-Summary-of-the-Symposiumon-Diversity-in-Health-Professions-in-Honor-ofHerbert-W-Nickens-MD.aspx
Genetics and Genomics


By studying the relationship between genes, environment, and
behaviors, researchers and practitioners can learn why some people
get sick, while others do not. Family health history information can
also help to identify people who may have a higher risk for certain
diseases. Better understanding of genetic and family history
information can help researchers and practitioners identify, develop,
and evaluate screening and other interventions that can improve
health and prevent disease.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Genomics and Health”
http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/public/index.htm
From CDC website “Genomics and Health”
http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/public/index.htm
Policy Issues in the Development of
Personalized Medicine in Oncology.
Workshop Summary



Released: February 8, 2010
As cancer care becomes more personalized,
patients will receive preventive or therapeutic
interventions based on their susceptibilities or
predicted responses. But before the use of
personalized cancer care can reach its full potential,
the health care system must resolve a number of
policy issues. To explore these policy challenges,
the National Cancer Policy Forum held this
workshop in June 2009.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/Policy-Issuesin-the-Development-of-Personalized-Medicine-inOncology.aspx
Systems for Research and Evaluation for
Translating Genome-Based Discoveries
for Health. Workshop Summary



Released: November 11, 2009
The correlation between genetic variations and variations in disease
risk has been a subject of study for more than 100 years. Initially,
research focused on single genes that give rise to rare genetic
diseases such as cystic fibrosis or Huntington’s disease. With new
studies, however, numerous associations have been found between
genes and more common diseases, for example breast cancer, type
II diabetes, coronary artery disease, asthma, and bipolar disorder.
This rapidly advancing field of genomics has stirred great interest in
“personalized” health care. The hope is that using genomic
information in care will lead to reduced health care costs and
improved health results, as preventive measures and treatments are
tailored to patients’ genetic susceptibilities. On February 12, 2009,
the Institute of Medicine’s Roundtable on Translating Genomic-Based
Research for Health hosted a workshop to examine how to evaluate
the clinical use of genomic information and the impact of genetic
information in caring for patients.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2009/Systems-Research-EvaluationTranslating-Genome-Based-Discoveries-Health.aspx
Innovations in Service Delivery in the
Age of Genomics. Workshop
Summary Released: May 13, 2009



New discoveries in genomics—that is, the study of
the entire human genome—are changing how we
diagnose and treat diseases. As the trend shifts from
genetic testing largely being undertaken for rare
genetic disorders to, increasingly, individuals being
screened for common diseases, general
practitioners, pediatricians, obstetricians,
gynecologists, and other providers need to be
knowledgeable about and comfortable using genetic
information to improve their patients’ health. To
address these changes, the Roundtable on
Translating Genomic-Based Research for Health
held the public workshop “Innovations in Service
Delivery in the Age of Genomics” on July 27, 2008.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2009/Innovations-inService-Delivery-in-the-Age-of-GenomicsWorkshop-Summary.aspx
Cancer-Related Genetic Testing and
Counseling. Workshop Proceedings



Released: August 20, 2007
The Institute of Medicine’s National Cancer Policy
Forum held a workshop and released the
proceedings entitled Cancer-Related Genetic
Testing and Counseling. The workshop focused on
the fact that genetic testing and counseling are
becoming more complex and important for informing
patients and families of the risks and benefits of
certain courses of action, but at the same time
organized expert programs are in short supply. The
workshop covered the scientific and clinical aspects
of genetic testing and counseling as well as
workforce and reimbursement issues, among others.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2007/CancerRelated-Genetic-Testing-and-CounselingWorkshop-Proceedings.aspx
Nutrigenomics and Beyond:
Informing the Future Workshop
Summary



Released: May 22, 2007
Nutrition science is uniquely poised to serve as the
crossroads for many disciplines and, using
genomics tools, can bridge this knowledge to better
understand and address diet-related chronic
diseases and molecular responses to dietary factors.
To address these issues, the Institute of Medicine
held a two-day workshop, and released
Nutrigenomics and Beyond: Informing the Future
Workshop Summary, which explores the state of the
science, examines its potential, and discusses how
that potential might best be realized.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2007/Nutrigenomics
-and-Beyond--Informing-the-Future-WorkshopSummary.aspx
Diffusion and Use of Genomic
Innovations in Health and Medicine.
Workshop Summary



Released: June 19, 2008
The Institute of Medicine’s Roundtable on
Translating Genomic-Based Research for Health,
established in 2007, held its first workshop to
address the following questions: (1) Are there
different pathways by which new scientific findings
move from the research setting into health care? (2)
If so, what are the implications of those different
pathways for genomics? (3) What can we learn from
the translation of other new technologies as we seek
to understand the translation of genome science into
health care?
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2008/Diffusion-andUse-of-Genomic-Innovations-in-Health-andMedicine-Workshop-Summary.aspx
Genes, Behavior, and the Social
Environment: Moving Beyond the
Nature/Nurture Debate



Released: August 11, 2006
Genes, Behavior, and the Social Environment
examines a number of well-described geneenvironment interactions, reviews the state of the
science in researching such interactions, and
recommends priorities not only on research itself but
also on its workforce, resource, and infrastructural
needs.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2006/GenesBehavior-and-the-Social-Environment-MovingBeyond-the-NatureNurture-Debate.aspx
Implications of Genomics for Public
Health. Workshop Summary



Released: March 28, 2005
This workshop summary, titled Implications of
Genomics for Public Health, summarizes speaker
presentations on major scientific and policy issues
related to genomics and public health, major
supports for and challenges to the translation of
genetic research into population health benefits, and
approaches for the integration of genomic
information into strategies for promoting health and
preventing disease.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2005/Implicationsof-Genomics-for-Public-Health-WorkshopSummary.aspx
Cancer and the Environment: GeneEnvironment Interactions. Workshop
Summary



Released: August 9, 2002
Both environmental and genetic factors are known to
be involved in the development of cancer. On May
16-17, 2001, the Roundtable on Environmental
Health Sciences, Research and Medicine convened
a workshop on Cancer and the Environment: GeneEnvironment Interactions to address the link
between environmental factors and the development
of cancer in the light of recent advances in genomics
and, more specifically, in toxicogenomics and geneenvironment interactions.
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2002/Cancer-andthe-Environment-Gene-EnvironmentInteractions-Workshop-Summary.aspx