Research to Support Health Policy, Advocacy and Policy Development.
Research translation typically includes translation from basic science into clinical research and from clinical research into everyday clinical practice. In this essay, we propose a greater emphasis on applying research findings, both basic and clinical, into effective public policies that promote health. Research can have important influences on policy by providing a scholarly basis for action research, and translation science units within academic health centers are in powerful positions to build bridges between the research and policy making communities to promote the development of evidence based policy. The results will benefit the researcher and the decision maker, as well as the research itself.Research to Support Health Policy, Advocacy and Policy Development.
Keywords: public policy, academic medical centers, clinical translation science
Facilitating the translation of basic and clinical research into clinical practice and improved population health has become a major goal of the healthârelated research enterprise. The original emphasis on supporting “bench to bedside” translation has been expanded to include facilitating applications of basic and clinical research into practice settings and into broader community environments. 1
In this essay, we emphasize the additional, critical role of public policy in achieving the overall goal of improving the health of individuals and populations by the more effective and efficient application of new knowledge. We suggest that the importance of this effort applies across the full spectrum of research from basic to clinical research, from controlled clinical trials to practice settings, and from clinical practice settings to efforts in the broader community. Although the role of policy has been sporadically included in the translation process, we suggest that its importance mandates greater attention and emphasis. Research to Support Health Policy, Advocacy and Policy Development.
Translational research refers to the research process where scientists apply knowledge generated from biological and clinical trials, to techniques and methods that address clinical needs. For instance, the current development of the COVID 19 vaccine is based upon translational research where the scientists relied upon basic biological principles and clinical trials to develop the vaccine, as a way to combat COVID 19. Research to Support Health Policy, Advocacy and Policy Development.Translational research is generally used to enhance health outcomes and medical and nursing practice. As such, translational research plays an important role in influencing policy because it is useful in developing interventions for population and public health managing. Drawing from the COVID 19 vaccine example, it is clear that with translational research, scientists develop medical interventions aimed at enhancing health outcomes, which are adopted as policies by the authorities. Soon, it will be policy that every individual receives the vaccine to curb infection and control the death rates from COVID 19. van Schalkwyk & Harris (2017) contend that translational research is critical in policy making because the evidence gathered from research can be used as a basis for policy agenda.
A health policy based on translational research awaiting passage would be the SR 370 in the state of Pennsylvania, where this moderately partisan bill requires that Congress raises awareness of the dangers of smoking and vaping during this pandemic. The bill is based on translation research because it is hinged upon the biological principles behind smoking, which entail damage to lungs, hence, making the smoker susceptible to worse health outcomes during this pandemic (LegiScan, 2020). Based on this scientific information, the bill requires that the Senate encourages citizens in Pennsylvania to discuss with their physicians their efforts to quit smoking during the COVID 19 pandemic.
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