NIH alters mission statement due to ‘ableist’ criticism.
The National Institutes of Health Revamps Mission Statement to Promote Inclusion
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is taking a bold step towards inclusivity by revising its mission statement. In response to accusations of promoting “ableism” and discrimination against people with disabilities, the NIH is determined to create a more inclusive and empowering message.
In December 2022, an advisory working group at the NIH recognized the current mission statement as offensive. The statement claimed that the organization’s goal was to apply scientific knowledge “to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.” This language was seen as perpetuating ableist beliefs and suggesting that disabled individuals needed to be “fixed.”
“One immediate action for the NIH to support disability inclusion is to remove the language of ‘reducing disability’ from the NIH mission statement,” emphasized NIH scientists as part of the working group’s final recommendations for organizational reform.
The proposed language for the new mission statement is both powerful and inclusive. It states, “To seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and to apply that knowledge to optimize health and prevent or reduce illness for all people.”
The NIH is actively seeking public input on this proposed change until November 24. They value the opinions and perspectives of the community before finalizing the new mission statement.
Acting NIH Director Lawrence A. Tabak expressed the importance of an accurate mission statement that aligns with their goals. He shared on the social media platform X, “It’s important that NIH’s mission accurately reflects our goals of turning scientific discoveries into better health for all.”
Tabak took over as the acting director after the departure of former NIH Director Francis Collins in 2021. Collins faced public criticism and fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic response, which contributed to his departure.
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