Program seeks Council approval for an initiative entitled the “Unified Pediatric Research Consortium.” It is the goal of this initiative to progressively and in a phased manner create one Consortium of networks to address the pediatric clinical priorities of the NICHD and society at large. The goal of the first phase of this initiative is to build the foundation for a Consortium by supporting multisite pediatric critical care and pharmacology research and by facilitating medical device clinical research for children. Multisite critical care research is paramount to the NICHD and Pediatric Trauma and Critical Illness Branch mission given that injury remains the leading cause of pediatric death and disability and multiple organ dysfunction is often the most proximate cause of death in children. In addition, no single center can enroll sufficient participants to provide robust and generalizable results mandating the need for multisite infrastructure. Similarly, multisite pediatric pharmacology research has long been spearheaded by the Obstetric and Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics Branch and NICHD-supported programs under the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA). The combined efforts of these programs have resulted in many advances in the care of children with acute and chronic health conditions and have secured age specific FDA label changes for a host of medications. These efforts help to ensure the most informed and appropriate use of medications in children.
Initially, this framework will consist of a data operations center and primary research centers capable of conducting research on many areas of pediatric health. The ability to leverage existing resources to conduct clinical research of mutual and often complementary interest across areas of science while limiting duplication of effort holds the potential to enhance research efficiency and reduce costs. Such an approach affords the opportunity to escalate productivity, to facilitate long-term follow up, to establish collaborations among NICHD and non-NICHD pediatric research networks, and to create and leverage public-private and other nontraditional partnerships. The establishment of such a Consortium will also enable a more timely and cohesive response to emerging health care issues and crises. Taken together, the ultimate goal is to build a Consortium foundation for unified pediatric research capable of answering those clinical questions most relevant to maintaining the health and well-being of children across many disciplines, and to disseminate and implement clinical practice changes accordingly and in a timely manner.
This initiative aligns with several of the research priorities of the 2025 NICHD Strategic Plan; most notably “Improving Child and Adolescent Health” and “Fostering Safe and Effective Therapeutics and Devices for Children and People with Disabilities.” In addition, the proposal aligns well with the BPCA Congressional mandate and the Make America Healthy Again priorities.
Program Contact
Bob Tamburro
Division of Extramural Research (DER)
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