The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs’ (CDMRP), Autism Research Program (ARP) consumer advocate Susan Kabot recently participated in the evaluation of research applications submitted to the ARP.
Susan Kabot was nominated for participation in the program by The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Tallahassee, Florida. As a consumer reviewer, she was a full voting member, (along with prominent scientists) at meetings to help determine how the $15 million appropriated by Congress for Fiscal Year 2020 will be spent on autism research.
Consumer reviewers are asked to represent the collective view of patients by preparing comments on the impact of the research on issues such as diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life. When commenting on serving as a consumer reviewer, Susan said that, “It was encouraging to see the amazing proposals that were submitted to advance our knowledge in autism and support individuals and their families.
Consumer advocates and scientists have worked together in this unique partnership to evaluate the merit of research applications since FY07. COL Sarah B. Goldman, Director of the CDMRP, expressed her appreciation for the consumer advocates’ hard work. “Integrating consumer perspectives into our decision-making process brings energy and focus to our research programs. Patients, caregivers, family members, and advocates help us keep our efforts centered around what is truly important to those impacted. We very much value this critical input from our consumers who help ensure that CDMRP’s work remains critical and relevant,” she said.
Scientists applying propose to conduct innovative research that advances the understanding of autism spectrum disorders and leads to improved outcomes for Service Members, their families, and the American public. The ARP fills important gaps not addressed by other funding agencies by supporting groundbreaking research while encouraging out-of-the-box thinking.
More information about the CDMRP’s ARP is available at the website: https://cdmrp.army.mil/arp/
For more information about the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, go to: https://www.fddc.org.
