This article was updated with additional information from the University of Iowa.
NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – The National Institutes of Health today announced today that it has partnered with the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to raise awareness about the Precision Medicine Initiative's (PMI) All of Us research program.
The PMI was launched in 2015 to gather genetic, health, lifestyle, and environmental information on one million people to fuel research into personalized healthcare. The All of Us program, formerly known as the PMI Cohort Program, is recruiting participants for this effort.
According to the NIH, the NLM's National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) has been awarded $4.5 million to support All of Us program community engagement efforts by public libraries and to improve participant access.
Under the three-year effort, the NNLM aims to increase the capacity of public library staff to improve health literacy; equip public libraries with information about the All of Us program to share with local communities; and assess the potential impact of libraries on participant enrollment and retention.
It will also work to highlight public libraries as a technology resource that participants can use to engage with the program, particularly in underserved communities; establish an online platform for education and training about All of Us and precision medicine, with resources for members of the public, health professionals, librarians, and researchers; and help identify best practices in messaging and outreach that lead to increased public interest and engagement in the program, the NIH said.
The University of Iowa noted that it will receive $3.6 million of the overall grant to act as a national coordinating center, to create and distribute educational information for All of Us. UI will be charged with creating content to prompt people to enroll in the initiative.
"We want to reach participants where they are," All of Us Director Eric Dishman said in a statement. "For many people in the country, including those with limited internet access, one of those places is the local library."
Earlier this year, the NIH named the first All of Us community partners, which are raising awareness of the program with seniors, Hispanics and Latinos, African Americans, and members of the LGBTQ community.