To plan for a strong future, one must understand the past. Reviewing the previous year’s accomplishments is always a good policy for reflection and improvement. It can help remind us of the accomplishments achieved in 12 short months. Such was the case at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as director Francis Collins addressed the research achievements for 2017 in his opening blog.
Collins highlighted many of the achievements reached with support from the NIH, such as:
- Gene therapy
- Pinpoint gene editing
- A drug for many cancers
- Life at the atomic level
- Biology preprints take off
Although these breakthroughs are significant across the biomedical continuum, cancer is among the fields in which these discoveries and new treatments could make a real difference. This spring, the NIH will launch a new initiative, the All of Us research program, to advance precision medicine.
ONS will continue to follow the development of the research program and add to the depth and breadth of knowledge. Oncology nurse scientists are moving the needle when it comes to patient-centered cancer care. Join the advocacy effort and raise oncology nursing’s voice at the local, state, and federal level.