Oral

Established in 1970, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) is the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences. The IOM asks and answers the nation’s most pressing questions about health and health care. Each year, more than 2,000 individuals, members, and nonmembers volunteer their time, knowledge, and expertise to advance the nation’s health through the work of the IOM. This session will highlight important consensus findings from three recent IOM reports: 1) Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D; 2) Enhancing Food Safety: The Role of the Food and Drug Administration; and 3) Bridging the Evidence Gap in Obesity Prevention: A Framework to Inform Decision Making. The purpose of this session is to provide attendees with an overview of the public health and policy recommendations from each report and to provide an understanding of the IOM review and decision making process. Special discussion will include decision making within the context of both available and unavailable evidence, and areas of research needed to advance public health.

Session Objectives: Attendees will gain an understanding of: 1. The evidence review process using data involving different types of human studies (observational and clinical trials), as well as qualitative evidence and different types of expert knowledge 2. The major public health and policy recommendations for each of the three IOM reports; 3. Areas of needed research identified by each report.