Poor adherence to prescription medications and treatments has been labeled a worldwide problem. For example, up to 20 percent of patients fail to fill new prescriptions and approximately 50 percent of people with chronic health conditions discontinue their medications within 6 months. Adherence to behavioral and bio-behavioral treatments remains poor.
Access to medical care is vital but it can lead to better health outcomes only if it is accompanied by patient adherence to recommendations by healthcare professionals. Despite the need for improving adherence at both the individual and population levels, research on interventions related to adherence remains underdeveloped.
NIH released the Request for Information (RFI) to specifically identify the priorities needed for adherence research. Ideas are welcome for both short-term and long-term activities on the topic. Members of the scientific community, scientific organization, healthcare professionals, patient advocates and the public are invited to respond to the RFI. NIH seeks to determine the critical gaps in the science of adherence and then come up with the potential solution that can meet the challenge.
RFI responses are due May 25, 2010 via email to Wendy Nilsen, PhD at nilsenwi@0d.nih.gov or call (301) 496-0979. The RFI identifier is NOT-OD-10-078.
To download the RFI, go to http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-10-078.html.
