Publications from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine provide objective and straightforward advice to decision makers and the public. This site includes Health and Medicine Division (HMD) publications released after 1998. A complete list of HMD’s publications from its establishment in 1970 to the present is available as a PDF.

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  A Framework for Educating Health Professionals to Address ... Released: March 07, 2016

  The World Health Organization defines the social determinants of health as “the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life.”
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  Biomarker Tests for Molecularly Targeted Therapies: Key to ... Released: March 04, 2016

  Every patient is unique, and the evolving field of precision medicine aims to ensure that the right treatment is delivered to the right patient at the right time. To achieve this, health care providers are increasingly turning to advanced technologies known as biomarker tests for molecularly targeted therapies.
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  Policy and Research Needs to Maximize Independence and ... Released: March 04, 2016

  Living independently and participating in one’s community are priorities for many people. In many regions across the United States, there are programs that support and enable people with disabilities and older adults to live in the setting of their choosing and to participate fully in their communities.
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  Ovarian Cancers: Evolving Paradigms in Research and Care ... Released: March 02, 2016

  Although recent years have seen promising advances in cancer research, there remain surprising gaps in the fundamental knowledge about and understanding of ovarian cancer, including basic biology, risk factors, diagnosis, delivery of care, and survivorship
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  Potential Research Priorities to Inform Public Health and ... Released: February 29, 2016

  Given the recent rapid spread of Zika virus (ZIKV) throughout the Americas and the presence of its vector mosquito species within parts of the United States, RADM Nicole Lurie, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), determined an urgent need for additional research to better characterize ZIKV, especially those issues related to the means of transmission and infection during pregnancy.
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  Gulf War and Health: Volume 10: Update of Health Effects of ... Released: February 11, 2016

  In response to the variety of health problems and symptoms reported by veterans, Congress passed two laws directing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to contract with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to review and evaluate the scientific and medical literature regarding associations between illness and exposure to toxic agents, environmental or wartime hazards, or preventive measures and vaccines associated with Gulf War service.
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  Mitochondrial Replacement Techniques: Ethical, Social, and ... Released: February 03, 2016

  Mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRT) are designed to prevent the transmission of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diseases from mother to child. These diseases vary in presentation and severity, but common symptoms include developmental delays, seizures, weakness and fatigue, muscle pain, vision loss, and heart problems, leading to morbidity and in some cases premature death.
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  Meeting the Dietary Needs of Older Adults: Workshop in Brief ... Released: February 01, 2016

  On October 28–29, 2015, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Food and Nutrition Board convened a workshop in Washington, DC, to examine factors in the physical, social, and cultural environment that affect the ability of older adults to meet their daily dietary needs
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  Speech and Language Disorders in Children: Implications for ... Released: January 26, 2016

  Over the past several decades, the number of children receiving SSI has risen overall, and the number receiving SSI on the basis of speech and language disorders has increased as well. The Social Security Administration requested that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convene a committee to identify trends in the prevalence of speech and language disorders among U.S. children and to compare those trends to changes observed in the population of children who receive SSI.
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  The Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Health Systems ... Released: January 21, 2016

  On June 25–26, 2015, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Forum on Public–Private Partnerships for Global Health and Safety (PPP Forum) held a workshop on the role of public–private partnerships (PPPs) in health systems strengthening.