OC Resident participates in Research Applications Evaluation for the DoD

SCIENTIFIC PEER REVIEW OF CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS’ PEER REVIEWED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs’ (CDMRP) Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) consumer advocate Rocio Castrillon recently participated in the evaluation of research applications submitted to the PRMRP. Rocio Castrillon was nominated for participation in the program by the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. As a consumer reviewer, she was a full voting member, (along with prominent scientists) at meetings to help determine how the $360 million appropriated by Congress for Fiscal Year 2020 will be spent on PRMRP 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, Rocio Castrillon said that, “I was honored to play a pivotal role as a consumer reviewer for the advancement of research and treatments for IBD patients. It is truly exciting to have a voice in the future of IBD for the millions of patients in the U.S. living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and I will continue to do anything possible to get patients closer to a cure”.

Consumer advocates and scientists have worked together in this unique partnership to evaluate the merit of research applications since FY99. 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.

The Mission of the PRMRP is to encourage, identify, select, and manage medical research projects of clear scientific merit and direct relevance to military health. The PRMRP fills important gaps not addressed by other funding agencies by supporting groundbreaking, high-risk, high-gain research while encouraging out- of- the -box thinking, to improve the health, care, and well-being of all Service Members, Veterans, and the American Public.

More information about the CDMRP’s PRMRP is available at the website: https://cdmrp.army.mil/prmrp/default.