NASEM Report: Rethinking Race & Ethnicity in Biomedical Research

October 2024

In 2022, the Doris Duke Foundation commissioned the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to convene a committee to study the role of race in biomedical research. After months of deep investigation, including presentations from dozens of experts in the field, the Committee issued its report in October of 2024. Key recommendations from Rethinking Race & Ethnicity in Biomedical Research include:

• The thoughtful and rigorous consideration of the role and relevance of race should be included at every stage of the research process. The report gives very specific detail on how to accomplish this.
• All population data used for research – both legacy data and newly gathered — must be transparently explained and its limitations clearly expressed.
• Funders, sponsors, publishers, and editors have a responsibility to require the consideration above, in order to incentivize its adoption.
• Community collaboration is similarly necessary at every stage of a research project. Funders should provide additional time and dollars to support this goal.