CMSS Awarded Doris Duke Foundation Grant to Accelerate Adoption of Equitable Algorithms
June 2026
ENGAGE initiative unites scientific, clinical, and publishing communities to accelerate adoption of modern methodologies for evaluating race in clinical decision tools
The Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) has received a $2.6 million grant from the Doris Duke Foundation to lead ENGAGE: Eliminating Bias in Next-Generation Algorithms: Guidance and Evaluation, a two-year national initiative to further engage the clinical research and translational science communities in efforts that will accelerate development and adoption of modern methodologies in the consideration of race in clinical equations.
Many widely used clinical equations and algorithms incorporate race as an input variable. A growing body of evidence shows that the routine or poorly justified use of race can obscure underlying causes of health differences, weaken scientific rigor, and reinforce inequities in patient care. ENGAGE will tackle this challenge through a coordinated, evidence-based effort spanning the scientific, clinical, and publishing communities.
The initiative builds on the work of the Encoding Equity Alliance, also led by CMSS and funded by the Doris Duke Foundation, which advances the responsible use of race in clinical algorithms. ENGAGE further extends this work into the clinical research and translational science space to support the development of methodological standards. Coordinated by CMSS, with collaborators including MDCalc, New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS), and Felicity T. Enders, PhD, MPH, Translational Science Methodologist, this project will accelerate field-wide adoption of modern methodologies in the consideration of race in clinical equations and invite a broad community to proposed evidence-based approaches for the assessment and revision of algorithms.
“Clinical algorithms affect how patients are diagnosed, what treatments they’re offered, and even whether they qualify for certain interventions,” said Helen Burstin, MD, MPH, CEO of CMSS and the ENGAGE Project Lead. “This initiative brings together the thought leaders and organizations across science and research that are best positioned to update methodologic standards for how these tools are built, evaluated, and taught — and to ensure that modern methodologies replace outdated approaches that will drive evidence-based practices for all.”
The ENGAGE initiative will pursue three core objectives:
- Engage a broad community of scientists and clinicians with the expertise and influence to shape how clinical algorithms are developed, taught, and implemented across the field.
- Assess, identify, and prioritize high-impact clinical algorithms for redesign, and invite researchers nationwide to propose evidence-based approaches to revision.
- Equip clinician-scientists, researchers, and data scientists with practical tools and shared standards for evaluating the role of race in clinical decision-making, while updating methodological guidance for scientific and medical journals.
“While we know outdated methodologies to be impacting the performance of clinical algorithms used to diagnose and treat disease, the true scope of the impacts and how problematic algorithms could be redesigned remains elusive,” said Sindy Escobar Alvarez, PhD, Program Director for Medical Research at the Doris Duke Foundation. “ENGAGE will provide scientists knowledge and space to identify if and which algorithms need attention and investment so that these no longer contribute to racial health disparities.”
About CMSS
The Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) is a coalition of more than 50 specialty societies representing nearly 1 million physicians across the house of medicine. CMSS advances the expertise and collective voice of specialty societies and the patients they serve to drive meaningful change in the future of healthcare. Learn more at cmss.org.
About the Doris Duke Foundation
The mission of the Doris Duke Foundation (DDF) is to build a more creative, equitable and sustainable future. We work across three areas: Arts & Culture; Nature; and Health & Well-being. Visit www.dorisduke.org to learn more.
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