Disability Advocates Announce Endorsement of the All of Us Research Program

Rockville, MD, March 15, 2023 --(PR.com)-- A nationwide coalition of disability advocates celebrate the release of “No Research About Us Without Us," a statement endorsing the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program, an effort to engage more than one million people from across the United States in biomedical research to advance health care for all.

Last year, a national consortium of disability organizations led by the American Association on Health and Disability crafted a message of endorsement to express the disability community’s support for the All of Us Research Program. This statement outlines some key ways that All of Us is inclusive of and welcoming to people with disabilities. Critically, it also outlines steps taken by the program and its affiliates to ensure ongoing program accessibility and participation for all. Based on input shared through a collaborative creation process, the statement also highlights the promise of All of Us to support equitable research opportunities by and for the disability community.

“We are proud to partner with the All of Us Research Program and see this as a tremendous resource for expanding health research that benefits the 1 in 4 people living with a disability in the United States,” said Roberta Carlin, Executive Director of the American Association on Health and Disability.

The mission of All of Us uplifts the spirit of “Nothing About Us Without Us” – the disability movement’s ongoing call for self-determination, especially relevant in areas of health. By including people from communities traditionally underrepresented in health research, All of Us hopes to advance more personalized treatments and care for all. The endorsement statement starts a conversation with NIH to more deeply incorporate accessible design in the All of Us Research Program by fully including people with disabilities as participants and researchers.

“Together with our partners, All of Us can build a better future for health research and care, with discoveries that benefit us all,” said Karriem Watson, D.H.Sc., M.S., M.P.H., chief engagement officer of the All of Us Research Program. “We are grateful for the support and engagement of the disability community, which brings valuable insights and energy to these efforts.”

Members of AAHD’s Disability Consortium, Community Advisory Board, and participants in a series of disability community Listening Sessions co-created the endorsement and inclusion statement. Though multiple draft iterations, they provided feedback and comments that modeled the spirit of collaboration embodied in All of Us.

To read the full statement, visit: https://aahd.us/inclusion-for-all-of-us/.

Individuals and organizations are encouraged to sign-on in support of the statement on the AAHD website.

To learn more about the All of Us Research Program, visit: www.JoinAllofUs.org/aahd