Advisory Panel Releases First Federal Strategic Plan for Autism Research

[Guest guest]

http://www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2009/nimh-05.htm

 

Advisory Panel Releases First Federal Strategic Plan for Autism Research

 

The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), a federal government

advisory panel, has released its first blueprint for autism research. The IACC

Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research will advise federal

agencies and Congress on needs and opportunities for research investigating

autism, a complex developmental disorder that affects 1 in 150 children.

" This plan will help fill the gaps between what we know about autism and what we

need to do to help affected families and communities, " said Insel, M.D.,

chair of the IACC and director of the National Institute of Mental Health, part

of the National Institutes of Health. " This document marks a significant

achievement in that it is the product of a truly collaborative effort involving

the IACC, scientists, advocacy groups and the public. "

In establishing the IACC, the Combating Autism Act of 2006 mandated that the

body develop and annually update a strategic plan for autism research. The IACC,

composed of both federal and public members, developed the plan through an

extensive process engaging a wide range of federal agencies and public

stakeholders. The IACC convened four scientific workshops to identify research

opportunities as well as expert workgroups to recommend research objectives. The

committee also sought extensive public input on ASD research priorities through

means such as town hall meetings and Requests for Information. The resulting

plan reflects a diversity of views and the breadth of research that will be

required to address the needs of people with ASD and their families.

Autism is a complex developmental disorder characterized by repetitive behavior

and pervasive impairments in language and the ability to relate to others. It is

often grouped with related disorders, such as Asperger’s syndrome and

pervasive developmental disorder, all of which may be referred to collectively

as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The underlying causes of ASD are unclear and

currently, there is no cure for the disorders. Prevalence of ASDs has increased

more than ten-fold over the past two decades, according to estimates from the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2007.

The IACC strategic plan is organized around six critically important questions

for people with ASD and their families regarding diagnosis, the biology of

autism, risk factors, treatments and interventions, services and supports and

questions about issues faced by adolescents, adults and seniors with autism and

their families. Each question is followed by a brief discussion of what is

currently known and what more is needed through research. The plan then states

an aspirational goal and describes research opportunities and objectives in each

area. Each objective includes a professional judgment budget estimate, provided

by programmatic and agency experts.

Recommendations in the strategic plan include objectives to: develop new

diagnostic tools; complete longitudinal and comprehensive studies of the

biological, clinical and developmental profiles of children; identify genetic

and environmental risk factors; conduct clinical trials of interventions; and

assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of evidence-based services for people

with ASD of all ages in community settings.

Over the next year, the IACC will monitor the implementation of the strategic

plan and update the document for its annual release.

The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum

Disorder Research is available on the IACC Web site at www.iacc.hhs.gov

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) mission is to reduce the burden

of mental and behavioral disorders through research on mind, brain, and

behavior. More information is available at the NIMH website,

http://www.nimh.nih.gov.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency

— includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department

of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting

and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it

investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare

diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

 

Love, Gabby. :0)

http://stemcellforautism.blogspot.com/

 

" I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God had

some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin. " ~ Jerry Newport