Minority Health Initiatives

The FDA Office of Minority Health coordinates Agency efforts to promote well-being among underrepresented, vulnerable populations.  Across racial and ethnic groups, some communities are more likely to die from serious health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and asthma.  These differences in health are called health disparities. 

 

Current health statistics highlight poorer health outcomes for African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian American, Hispanic American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.  FDA's initiatives address better health for all Americans by focusing on the following areas:

 

• Leadership & Capacity Building 

• Health Information

• Partnerships & Outreach

• Regulatory Research & Evaluation

 

 

 

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 Leadership & Capacity Building 

• FDA Advisory Committees
• Fellowship, Graduate and Intership Opportunities 

 

 

Health Information

FDA educates consumers about cosmetics, drugs and other regulated products through easy to read health materials, available in different languages.

• Translated FDA Publications and Materials
• Women's Health Information in Spanish and in other languages
• Publicaciones en Español
• FDA Consumer Updates in Spanish
• Multi-Media Consumer Information

 

 

Partnerships & Outreach

FDA Centers and Offices conduct a variety of activities targeting underserved, vulnerable populations.  This includes minority communities, women, youth and the elderly.

• Conference Exhibits & Presentations - To raise awareness about its programs and health information, FDA exhibits and gives presentations at various minority health conferences such as the Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum, National Minority AIDS Council - US Conference on AIDS, National Council of La Raza, National Medical Association, and National Indian Health Board.

 

• Education Campaigns & Programs 

Take Time To Care Program- A national program to provide women with easy-to-read health information from the FDA Office of Women's Health. This program conducts partnerships with myriad national associations including minority health groups to disseminate educational materials on over 50 health topics. Materials are available in English, Spanish, Polish, Arabic, and 16 Asian and Pacific Islander languages.

 

Break the Chain of Tobacco Addiction- A national outreach campaign to educate retailers and keep tobacco out of the hands of minors and helping them break the chain of tobacco addiction. FDA recognizes that retailers who sell tobacco products play a vital role in protecting our kids from becoming the next generation of Americans to die prematurely from tobacco-related disease. 

 

Using the Nutrition Facts Label for Older Adults- FDA has developed a guide to help older adults learn about food labels easily.  This makes it easier to use nutrition labels to make quick, informed food choices that contribute to a healthy diet.

 

 

Regulatory Research & Evaluation 

• Data Standards - The FDA Data Standards Council coordinates the evaluation, development, maintenance, and adoption of health and regulatory data standards to ensure that common data standards are used throughout the agency. 

CDER Data Standards Plan

Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) Information Technology Plans 

 

• Clinical Trials- FDA holds all clinical trials data submitted for regulatory review by sponsors. The Agency is working on an initiative to standardize clinical trials demographic data within and across regulatory submissions.   

        Critical Path Initiative

        Gender and Race/Ethnicity in Clinical Trials