28 new studies aimed at addressing a range of health issues, including differences in maternal health, suicide prevention, and chronic diseases, Funding support.
The Patient-Centered Outcome Institute approved $254 million in research funding on July 27.
Four studies were approved for a total of 33 million U.S. dollars. These will examine interventions to improve pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care, with special attention to black and Hispanic women and their babies.
The largest of the four studies will compare ways to reduce the risk of low birth weight in black babies.
Approximately $58 million will be used for five studies that are investigating interventions to reduce suicide among adolescents and young people. The three studies will compare whether the development of suicide prevention strategies for young people with higher suicide rates will bring better results. One will focus on youth with autism, while the other two will focus on Alaska Native youth and young people with diverse sexual and gender diversity.
Another $135 million will be used to support large-scale comparative clinical effectiveness studies designed to fill gaps in evidence. Topics covered in the research include telemedicine, diabetes medication and palliative care.
“Patients and those caring for them are often faced with choosing between available therapies or other care options,” said Dr. Nakela Cook, executive director of the institute, in an email. “In many cases, there is not enough evidence to prove the relative benefits and possible risks of each option to help them choose the option that best suits their specific needs and circumstances.”
Cook said that financial rewards are awarded after a strict performance review process. Scientists, patients, and other stakeholders participated in the review to select the studies most likely to improve health care decision-making.
The institute provides funds for research through contracts, and payments are closely related to the achievement of certain milestones and deliverables.
“During the execution of the contract, PCORI reserved all funds related to the winning project for the entire contract performance period,” Cook said.
The Institute is an independent non-profit organization authorized by Congress in 2010. So far, it has invested $3.2 billion in patient-centered research.
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