NCCIH seeks input on new strategic plan

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is developing its fifth strategic plan, which will guide the center’s research efforts and priorities over the next five years. The agency, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is seeking input from the general public through June 30, 2020.

The mission of the NCCIH is to determine, through rigorous scientific investigation, the fundamental mechanisms, safety, and effectiveness of dietary, psychological, and physical approaches that may have originated outside of conventional medicine and are considered complementary because they are used in conjunction with conventional treatments. Dietary approaches include natural products, such as dietary supplements, plant-based products, and probiotics. Psychological and physical approaches include a diverse group of mind and body practices such as meditation, mindfulness-based stress reduction, yoga, manual therapies, and acupuncture.

Current strategic objectives include advancing fundamental science and methods development, improving care for hard-to-manage symptoms, fostering health promotion and disease prevention, enhancing the complementary and integrative health workforce, and disseminating objective evidence-based information on complementary and integrative health interventions.

Comments will provide insights on high-priority objectives that are not reflected in current strategic objectives, opportunities and challenges facing integrative and complementary health research, gaps and opportunities in research, opportunities in implementation science, emerging research needs, recommendations for steps, actions, activities, and opportunities, and successes, shortcomings, or impacts of existing NCCIH activities. The agency will also welcome general comments.

The NCCIH is seeking input from stakeholders, experts, communities, and members of the public, including researchers and trainees across academia, industry, and government; healthcare providers and health advocacy organizations; nongovernmental, scientific, and professional organizations; and federal agencies. Organizations are strongly encouraged to submit a single response that reflects the views of their organization and membership. Responses are voluntary and may be submitted anonymously.

 The agency is accepting comments via e-mail and plans to publish a draft later this year. Click here for more information on submitting responses.