by 
Share On Social!
Good health is important for all people!
With this in mind, Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America!, is sharing an important comment to focus on many aspects of health for Latinos and all people as part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2027-2031.
Endorse Dr. Ramirez’s comment here.
Comments must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
Endorse Dr. Ramirez’s Comment on the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan
Dear NIH leaders,
As the leader of Salud America!, an organization that promotes health improvement for all people, including Latinos, I know that health research is a priority.
Understanding the health issues that impact communities is the foundation for creating better health outcomes for families and communities.
That is why I hope the NIH, as it builds its strategic plan, will consider integrating our findings about 13 key areas that drive the Latino cancer burden.
Our Task Force: Researchers Against Cancer recently published these findings in the journal Frontiers in Public Health (https://bit.ly/taskforceresults). The task force, comprised of specialists in oncology, public health, and behavioral sciences, spent a year meeting together to unpack the influences contributing to cancer, from genetics to societal practices. Findings highlight environmental hazards, genetic susceptibilities, stigmas, and linguistic barriers as significant drivers among Latino populations. Additional issues, such as inadequate healthcare coverage, financial challenges, and lack of participation in clinical trials, further compound these issues.
Incorporating this kind of lens, NIH can be a leader in biomedical and behavioral science research, scientific research capacity, and scientific research operations to ultimately improve health for all people.
I support the goals of improving research resources and infrastructure, fostering transparency and accountability to improve public trust in science, advancing and optimizing interventions, treatments, and cures, among the other goals set by the strategic plan framework. Let’s truly improve health for all.
Thank you,
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, Director, Salud America!
What is the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan?
The NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2027-2031 serves to communicate how it plans to advance the mission to support research.
The framework focuses on 3 priorities:
Priority 1: Research Areas
- Goal 1: Advance Foundational Knowledge of Human Health and Disease
- Goal 2: Prevent Disease and Promote Health Across the Lifespan
- Goal 3: Advance and Optimize Interventions, Treatments, and Cures
Priority 2: Research Capacity
- Goal 1: Develop and Sustain an Interdisciplinary Research Workforce
- Goal 2: Build, Improve, and Sustain Research Resources and Infrastructure
Priority 3: Research Operations
- Goal 1: Enhance Scientific Stewardship and Decision-Making
- Goal 2: Foster Transparency and Accountability to Improve Public Trust in Science
“The Strategic Plan outlines NIH’s vision for biomedical research direction, capacity, and stewardship, by articulating the highest priorities of NIH over the next 5 years,” according to the NIH.
How Researchers Are Combatting Cancer
As the NIH plan develops, the Task Force: Researchers Against Cancer is moving already toward solutions.
Throughout 2024 and 2025, the Task Force has met regularly to provide specific recommendations based on scientific evidence to reduce the burden of cancer in US Latinos and all people. They will publish their recommendations in 2026.
Members of the task force include:
- Amelie G. Ramirez, UT Health San Antonio
- Patricia Chalela, UT Health San Antonio
- Edgar Munoz, UT Health San Antonio
- Lorna Rodriguez-Rodriguez, City of Hope National Medical Center
- Leon Bernal-Mizrachi, Emory University
- Jose Aron Lopez, University of Washington
- Paulo S. Pinheiro, University of Miami
- Barbara Segarra-Vasquez, University of Puerto Rico
- Gregory Talavera, San Diego State University
- Luis G. Carvajal-Carmona, University of California, Davis
- Adolfo Diaz Duque, UT Health San Antonio
- Edward J. Trapido, Louisiana State University School of Public Health
Group members know that partnerships will be key, Ramirez said.
“We will need collaborative efforts across academia, healthcare systems, community organizations, governmental agencies, and industry partners to improve cancer outcomes among Latinos and all people,” she said.
The task force is supported by Genentech, Gilead, and Bristol Myers Squibb.
By The Numbers
50
percent
of big U.S cities have a local board of health
