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Opening Statement by Paul Tang on Reducing Medical Errors Requires National Computerized Information Systems - Data Standards Are Crucial to Improving Patient Safety

Welcome to the public release of the latest Institute of Medicine report on the quality of health care in America.




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Reducing Medical Errors Requires National Computerized Information Systems - Data Standards Are Crucial to Improving Patient Safety

To significantly reduce the tens of thousands of deaths and injuries caused by medical errors every year, health care organizations must adopt information technology systems that are capable of collecting and sharing essential health information on patients and their care, says a new report by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.




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Relationships, Rigor, and Relevance - The Three Rs of Engaging Students in Urban High Schools

High schools that successfully engage students in learning have many things in common.




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Nutrition Facts on Food Labels and Guidelines for Fortifying Food Should Be Updated, Report Says

Government authorities in the United States and Canada should use the current Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) to update nutrition information on food and dietary supplement labels so that consumers can compare products more easily and make informed food choices based on the latest science, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.




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Report Sets Dietary Intake Levels for Water, Salt, and Potassium To Maintain Health and Reduce Chronic Disease Risk

The vast majority of healthy people adequately meet their daily hydration needs by letting thirst be their guide, says the newest report on nutrient recommendations from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.




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90 Million Americans are Burdened with Inadequate Health Literacy IOM Report Calls for National Effort to Improve Health Literacy

Nearly half of all American adults – 90 million people – have difficulty understanding and using health information, and there is a higher rate of hospitalization and use of emergency services among patients with limited health literacy, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.




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MMR Vaccine and Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines Are Not Associated With Autism, IOM Report Says

Based on a thorough review of clinical and epidemiological studies, neither the mercury-based vaccine preservative thimerosal nor the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine are associated with autism, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.




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Indoor Mold, Building Dampness Linked to Respiratory Problems and Require Better Prevention - Evidence Does Not Support Links to Wider Array of Illnesses

Scientific evidence links mold and other factors related to damp conditions in homes and buildings to asthma symptoms in some people with the chronic disorder, as well as to coughing, wheezing, and upper respiratory tract symptoms in otherwise healthy people, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.




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Data on Firearms and Violence Too Weak to Settle Policy Debates - Comprehensive Research Effort Needed

The role of guns in U.S. society is a subject of intense policy debate and disagreement.




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Guidelines Released for Embryonic Stem Cell Research

The National Academies today recommended guidelines for research involving human embryonic stem cells, and urged all institutions conducting such research to establish oversight committees to ensure that the new guidelines will be followed.




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National Academies Name Biology Teaching Fellows and Mentors

The National Academies have bestowed the title of Education Fellow in the Life Sciences to 42 educators around the country who successfully completed a summer institute aimed at fostering innovative approaches to teaching undergraduate biology.




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EPA Standard for Fluoride in Drinking Water Is Not Protective - Tooth Enamel Loss, Bone Fractures of Concern at High Levels

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys standard for the maximum amount of fluoride allowed in drinking water -- 4 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water -- does not protect against adverse health effects.




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Reuse of Disposable Medical Masks During Flu Pandemic Not Recommended - Reusing Respirators Is Complicated

Use of protective face coverings will be one of many strategies used to slow or prevent transmission of the flu virus in the event of a pandemic, even though scientific evidence about the effectiveness of inexpensive, disposable medical masks and respirators against influenza is limited.




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High Confidence That Planet Is Warmest in 400 Years - Less Confidence in Temperature Reconstructions Prior to 1600

There is sufficient evidence from tree rings, boreholes, retreating glaciers, and other proxies of past surface temperatures to say with a high level of confidence that the last few decades of the 20th century were warmer than any comparable period in the last 400 years, according to a new report from the National Research Council.




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Preterm Births Cost U.S. $26 Billion a Year - Multidisciplinary Research Effort Needed to Prevent Early Births

The high rate of premature births in the United States constitutes a public health concern that costs society at least $26 billion a year, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.




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Medication Errors Injure 1.5 Million People and Cost Billions of Dollars Annually - Report Offers Comprehensive Strategies for Reducing Drug-Related Mistakes

Medication errors are among the most common medical errors, harming at least 1.5 million people every year, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.




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Some Pollinator Populations Declining - Improved Monitoring and More Biological Knowledge Needed to Better Assess Their Status

Long-term population trends for some North American pollinators -- bees, birds, bats, and other animals and insects that spread pollen so plant fertilization can occur -- are demonstrably downward, says a new report from the National Research Council.




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Data Suggest a Possible Association Between Agent Orange Exposure and Hypertension, But the Evidence Is Limited

A new report from the Institute of Medicine finds suggestive but limited evidence that exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides used during the Vietnam War is associated with an increased chance of developing high blood pressure in some veterans.




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Most Social Security Representative Payees Perform Duties Well But Changes Needed to Better Prevent and Detect Misuse of Funds

Although most people who receive and manage Social Security benefits on behalf of other individuals perform their duties well.




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Scientific Evidence Supporting Evolution Continues To Grow - Nonscientific Approaches Do Not Belong In Science Classrooms

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and Institute of Medicine (IOM) today released SCIENCE, EVOLUTION, AND CREATIONISM, a book designed to give the public a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the current scientific understanding of evolution and its importance in the science classroom.




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Climate Change Will Have A Significant Impact On Transportation Infrastructure And Operations

While every mode of transportation in the U.S. will be affected as the climate changes, potentially the greatest impact on transportation systems will be flooding of roads, railways, transit systems, and airport runways in coastal areas because of rising sea levels and surges brought on by more intense storms, says a new report from the National Research Council.




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Opening Statement by Alice P. Gast for Review of the Scientific Approaches Used During the FBIs Investigation of the 2001 Anthrax Letters Public Briefing

Good morning. I am Dr. Alice Gast and I am here today with Dr. David Relman as the chair and vice chair of the Committee on the Review of the Scientific Approaches Used During the FBI’s Investigation of the 2001 Bacillus anthracis Mailings.




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New Report on Science Learning at Museums, Zoos, Other Informal Settings

Each year, tens of millions of Americans, young and old, choose to learn about science in informal ways -- by visiting museums and aquariums, attending after-school programs, pursuing personal hobbies, and watching TV documentaries, for example.




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Badly Fragmented Forensic Science System Needs Overhaul - Evidence to Support Reliability of Many Techniques is Lacking

A congressionally mandated report from the National Research Council finds serious deficiencies in the nations forensic science system and calls for major reforms and new research.




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Report Updates Guidelines On How Much Weight Women Should Gain During Pregnancy - Calls On Health Care Providers To Help Women Achieve A Healthy Weight Before And During Pregnancy

A growing amount of scientific evidence indicates that how much weight women gain during pregnancy and their starting weight at conception can affect their health and that of their babies, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council.




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Limited Data Suggest Possible Association Between Agent Orange Exposure And Ischemic Heart Disease And Parkinsons Disease In Vietnam Veterans

A new report from the Institute of Medicine finds suggestive but limited evidence that exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides used during the Vietnam War is associated with an increased chance of developing ischemic heart disease and Parkinsons disease for Vietnam veterans.




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Report Examines Hidden Costs of Energy Production and Use

A new report from the National Research Council examines and, when possible, estimates hidden costs of energy production and use.




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Report Examines Options for Detecting and Countering Near-Earth Objects

A new report from the National Research Council lays out options NASA could follow to detect more near-Earth objects (NEOs) – asteroids and comets that could pose a hazard if they cross Earths orbit.




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Eleven Questions for the Next Decade of Geographical Sciences Identified

Eleven questions that should shape the next decade of geographical sciences research were identified today in a new report by the National Research Council.




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Assessment of U.S. Doctoral Programs Released, Offers Data On More Than 5,000 Programs Nationwide

The National Research Council today released its assessment of U.S. doctoral programs, which includes data on over 5,000 programs in 62 fields at 212 universities nationwide.




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Health Care Reform and Increased Patient Needs Require Transformation of Nursing Profession

Nurses roles, responsibilities, and education should change significantly to meet the increased demand for care that will be created by health care reform and to advance improvements in Americas increasingly complex health system, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.




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Events Preceding Deepwater Horizon Explosion and Oil Spill Point to Failure to Account for Safety Risks and Potential Dangers

The numerous technical and operational breakdowns that contributed to the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and spill from the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico suggest the lack of a suitable approach for managing the inherent risks.




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IOM Report Sets New Dietary Intake Levels for Calcium and Vitamin D To Maintain Health and Avoid Risks Associated With Excess

Most Americans and Canadians up to age 70 need no more than 600 international units (IUs) of vitamin D per day to maintain health, and those 71 and older may need as much as 800 IUs, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.




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The National Academies Press Makes All PDF Books Free to Download - More Than 4000 Titles Now Available Free to All Readers

As of today all PDF versions of books published by the National Academies Press will be downloadable to anyone free of charge. This includes a current catalog of more than 4,000 books plus future reports produced by the Press.




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IOM Report Calls for Cultural Transformation of Attitudes Toward Pain and Its Prevention and Management

Every year, approximately 100 million* adult Americans experience chronic pain, a condition that costs the nation between $560 billion and $635 billion annually, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.




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Report Offers New Framework to Guide K-12 Science Education, Calls for Shift in the Way Science Is Taught in U.S.

A report released today by the National Research Council presents a new framework for K-12 science education that identifies the key scientific ideas and practices all students should learn by the end of high school.




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IOM Report Recommends Eight Additional Preventive Health Services to Promote Womens Health

A new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends that eight preventive health services for women be added to the services that health plans will cover at no cost to patients under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA).




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Few Health Problems Are Caused By Vaccines, Iom Report Finds

An analysis of more than 1,000 research articles concluded that few health problems are caused by or clearly associated with vaccines.




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Report Calls for Creation of a Biomedical Research and Patient Data Network For More Accurate Classification of Diseases, Move Toward Precision Medicine

A new data network that integrates emerging research on the molecular makeup of diseases with clinical data on individual patients could drive the development of a more accurate classification of disease and ultimately enhance diagnosis and treatment, says a new report from the National Research Council.




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IOM Report Identifies Key Obesity-Prevention Strategies to Scale Back Weight of the Nation

Americas progress in arresting its obesity epidemic has been too slow, and the condition continues to erode productivity and cause millions to suffer from potentially debilitating and deadly chronic illnesses.




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Hydraulic Fracturing Poses Low Risk for Causing Earthquakes, But Risks Higher for Wastewater Injection Wells

Hydraulic fracturing has a low risk for inducing earthquakes that can be felt by people, but underground injection of wastewater produced by hydraulic fracturing and other energy technologies has a higher risk of causing such earthquakes, says a new report from the National Research Council.




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Transferable Knowledge and Skills Key to Success in Education and Work - Report Calls for Efforts to Incorporate Deeper Learning Into Curriculum

Educational and business leaders want todays students both to master school subjects and to excel in areas such as problem solving, critical thinking, and communication




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Transformation of Health System Needed to Improve Care and Reduce Costs

Americas health care system has become too complex and costly to continue business as usual, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine




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Population Aging Will Have Long-Term Implications for Economy - Major Policy Changes Needed

The aging of the U.S. population will have broad economic consequences for the country, particularly for federal programs that support the elderly, and its long-term effects on all generations will be mediated by how -- and how quickly -- the nation responds, says a new congressionally mandated report from the National Research Council.




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Juvenile Justice Reforms Should Incorporate Science of Adolescent Development

Legal responses to juvenile offending should be grounded in scientific knowledge about adolescent development and tailored to an individual offenders needs and social environment, says a new report from the National Research Council.




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Electric Power Grid Inherently Vulnerable to Terrorist Attacks - Report Delayed in Classification Review, Will Be Updated

The U.S. electric power delivery system is vulnerable to terrorist attacks that could cause much more damage to the system than natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy, blacking out large regions of the country for weeks or months and costing many billions of dollars, says a newly released report by the National Research Council.




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Americans Have Worse Health Than People in Other High-Income Countries - Health Disadvantage Is Pervasive Across Age and Socio-Economic Groups

On average, Americans die sooner and experience higher rates of disease and injury than people in other high-income countries, says a new report from the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine.




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IOM Report Details Strategy for Monitoring Safety of Childhood Immunization Schedule

A review of the available evidence underscores the safety of the federal childhood immunization schedule, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.




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President Obama Stresses Importance of Science and Technology to the Nations Future in Address at 150th Annual Meeting of the National Academy of Sciences

President Barack Obama reiterated his strong support for science and technology today in a speech to members of the National Academy of Sciences at its 150th annual meeting.




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New Report Identifies Research Priorities for Most Pressing Gun Violence Problems in U.S.

A new report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council proposes priorities for a research agenda to improve understanding of the public health aspects of gun-related violence, including its causes, health burden, and possible interventions.