Better Health Through Better Understanding
National Minority Health Month:
Better Health through better understanding FDA observes April month as National Minority Health Month to promote Health awareness of racial and etheric minority population and to balance health disparities.
Better Health Through Better Understanding
Better Health Through Better Understanding, is the theme for 2023, which supports OMHHE’s aim to addresses health disparities and to promote and protect the health of diverse populations through research and communication of science.
The Role of the Food and Drug Administration in Promoting Public Health is fundamental to a good life, and in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plays a critical role in promoting public health. The agency works to achieve goals through a variety of activities by enhancing EQUITY in clinical trails, data efforts and equity of voices
Enhance EQUITY Initiative
During National Minority Health Month 2023, OMHHE will promote its Enhance EQUITY Initiative which focuses on:
- Equity in clinical trails by supporting efforts to advance diverse participation in clinical trials; OMHHE’s aims to Enhance Equity for underrepresented population in clinical trails by Identifying barriers to clinical trail enrollments, Improving data collection and data quality. employing innovative strategies, training, education and communication methods to increase clinical trails and enrolment.
- Equitable data efforts: Irrespective of ethnicity, age, race, disability and geography, OMHHE aims to Enhance Equitable data efforts by Leveraging big data, novel data sources and artificial intelligence/machine learning options that contribute to the continued evaluation of the safety and efficacy of FDA-approved products (therapeutics, diagnostics, and vaccines) and products subject to EUAs/EUA expansion and Increasing training for scientists.
- Equity of voices by amplifying FDA’s communication with diverse groups and to ensure stakeholders, including consumers, are informed about FDA’s efforts and to understand diverse patient perspectives, preferences and unmet needs.
minority health and health equity resources
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is dedicated to promoting and protecting the health of all Americans, including those from historically marginalized and underserved communities. Health disparities continue to persist among minority populations, with many experiencing a disproportionate burden of chronic diseases and poor health outcomes. To address these disparities, the FDA with the theme better health through better understanding has developed a variety of resources and initiatives aimed at promoting minority health and health equity.
One of the key ways the FDA supports minority health is through its Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE). The OMHHE is responsible for developing and implementing initiatives and policies aimed at reducing health disparities and promoting health equity among minority populations. Some of the key initiatives of the OMHHE include:
- The FDA’s Health Equity Action Plan: The FDA’s Health Equity Action Plan was launched in 2019 and aims to address health disparities among underserved and vulnerable populations. The plan includes a variety of goals and strategies, including increasing diversity in clinical trials, improving data collection on health disparities, and developing new approaches to addressing health disparities.
- The FDA’s Patient and Health Professional Outreach and Education Initiative: This initiative aims to provide information and resources to patients and healthcare professionals from diverse communities. The FDA provides educational materials in multiple languages and offers webinars and workshops on a variety of health topics.
- The FDA’s Diversity in Clinical Trials Initiative: The FDA is committed to ensuring that clinical trials reflect the diversity of the population. The Diversity in Clinical Trials Initiative aims to increase the participation of underrepresented populations in clinical trials to help ensure that new drugs and treatments are safe and effective for all patients.
- The FDA’s Regulatory Science Research Program: The FDA’s Regulatory Science Research Program aims to develop new scientific tools and approaches to improve the safety and effectiveness of medical products. This program includes a focus on health disparities and aims to develop new approaches to address disparities in health outcomes.