Washington, DC (September 23, 2010) – The Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC) is pleased that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) included a PMC nominee with expertise in and a commitment to personalized medicine as a member of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Board of Governors. PMC nominated a slate of individuals representing the diversity of our coalition that included representatives from patient advocacy groups, hospitals and health systems, the diagnostics industry, and public health agencies. Picked by GAO from among our nominees, Freda Lewis-Hall, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Pfizer was nominated for her commitment to and knowledge of both comparative effectiveness research and personalized medicine. 

“We congratulate GAO for selecting the PCORI Board of Governors, a group of individuals who are committed to improving the health of the American people through research that will, we hope, improve outcomes while also decreasing overall costs,” said Edward Abrahams, PMC President. “We look forward to working with the PCORI Board of Governors and its Methodology Committee to ensure that comparative effectiveness research considers concepts of personalized medicine for the benefit of patients.”

“Dr. Lewis-Hall’s nomination underscores the growing importance of personalized medicine in health care,” said Amy Miller, PMC Public Policy Director. “We are confident that she and her colleagues on the Board will help PCORI provide patients and physicians with timely, relevant, and credible information that will improve clinical outcomes and increase efficiency."

The 21-member PCORI Board of Governors, established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, is tasked with assisting patients, clinicians, purchasers, and policy-makers in making informed, evidence-based, health decisions.  It will identify research priorities, carry out a research agenda, and receive support from a Methodology Committee and expert advisory panels.

Contact
Gwen Gordon
Communications Manager
Phone: (202) 589-1770
ggordon@PersonalizedMedicineCoalition.org

About the Personalized Medicine Coalition
The Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC), representing a broad spectrum of academic, industrial, patient, provider, and payer communities, seeks to advance the understanding and adoption of personalized medicine concepts and products for the benefit of patients. For more information on the Personalized Medicine Coalition, please visit www.PersonalizedMedicineCoalition.org.