How Research Can and Should Inform Public Policy

Too often health policies are not based on the best available research evidence. This evidence should not be blindly applied, but rather used to inform policy, taking into account pertinent cultural, social, political, and economic realities. Approaches include encouraging researchers and policymakers to jointly define priority areas and the use of systematic reviews to "package" evidence in user-friendly ways. Barriers include poor quality and reproducibility of research and flawed use of evidence due to conflicts of interest. Evidence-informed health policy will be most successful if policymakers understand research methods and interpretation, researchers share their findings in accessible ways and funders adequately support research programs addressing key policy issues. Academic health centers can advance evidence-informed policy by convening researchers and policymakers, engaging the public and prioritizing the objective dissemination of research relevant to health policy.