Conclusions
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs complement other federal and nonfederal sources of biomedical research funding and fill important research gaps through an evaluation of the funding landscape, identification of research gaps, and development of novel award mechanisms. The integration of survivors, patients, and their family members ensures that every aspect of the program management cycle balances scientific expertise with human perspective and has high impact on the patient community.
As new needs emerge, each research program designs an investment strategy to target areas most critically in need. The subsequent release of novel award mechanisms focuses research and enables an acceleration of science and/or leading researchers to the patient’s bedside. The CDMRP-funded discoveries have contributed to the development of new therapeutics, new diagnostics, and to changes in the standard of care exemplifying significant clinical impact and the innovative nature of these Congressional Special Interest Medical Research Programs.
To learn more about CDMRP or to receive funding notifications by e-mail, please visit http://cdmrp.army.mil.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully note the CDMRP Program Evaluation Steering Committee for critical review of the manuscript. Also acknowledged are CDMRP staff at large and Dr. Lisa Kinnard for support in this project.
Author disclosures
The authors report no actual or potential conflicts of interest with regard to this article.
Disclaimer
The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Federal Practitioner, Frontline Medical Communications Inc., the U.S. Government, or any of its agencies. This article may discuss unlabeled or investigational use of certain drugs. Please review the complete prescribing information for specific drugs or drug combinations—including indications, contraindications, warnings, and adverse effects—before administering pharmacologic therapy to patients.