The ability to communicate with precision is a critical aspect of sharing scientific results. To strive for this precision, terminology must be accurately defined and used consistently. Results from various research efforts can only be communicated, combined, and analyzed as a whole if the terms and concepts used are uniform.
In light of the NICHD’s broad clinical research portfolio, which includes many populations and age groups, the Institute decided to initiate the process of terminology harmonization with its youngest constituents: neonates and infants. By harmonizing pediatric concepts and terms, the NICHD can then take the results from studies focused on neonates and infants and combine them with other study results to learn more and to extend the impact of the Institute’s research investment.
Harmonized pediatric terminology involves an understanding of and agreement to use specific definitions for terms and concepts. This agreement ensures that data collected from different studies, centers, or hospitals mean the same thing. The development of a harmonized terminology is a fundamental step toward enabling interoperability and data exchange, which then allow aggregation and comparison of data collected at different times or by different groups, resulting in richer analyses. Such harmonized terminology requires consensus among the user community, in this case pediatric clinicians, to ensure successful implementation.
To learn more about NICHD’s Pediatric Terminology Harmonization Initiative (the Initiative), select an item below.
