William M. Sage, M.D., J.D., vice provost for health affairs and the James R. Dougherty Chair for Faculty Excellence in Law at The University of Texas at Austin, has been elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM).
Sage is among the 65 new members and five foreign associates whose elections to the IOM were announced today, Oct. 12, in conjunction with the institute’s 39th annual meeting.
Election to the IOM is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.
“It is a great pleasure to welcome these distinguished and accomplished individuals to the Institute of Medicine,” said IOM President Harvey V. Fineberg. “Each of these new members stands out as a professional whose research, knowledge and skills have significantly advanced health and medicine and who has served as a model for others. The Institute of Medicine is greatly enriched by the addition of our newly elected colleagues.”
New members are elected by active members through a highly selective process that recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health. A diversity of talent among IOM’s membership is assured by the institute’s charter, which stipulates that at least one-quarter of the membership is selected from outside the health professions. The newly elected members raise IOM’s membership to 1,610 and the number of foreign associates to 93. With an additional 75 members holding emeritus status, IOM’s total membership is 1,778.
The Institute of Medicine, established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, has become recognized as a national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on health issues. With their election, members make a commitment to volunteer their service on IOM committees, boards and other activities. Studies and initiatives during the past year include: a review of the long-term effects of traumatic brain injury among military personnel; an assessment of the health effects of lack of insurance; recommendations for comparative effectiveness research priorities; new guidelines for how much weight women should gain during pregnancy; a blueprint for American leadership in advancing global health; a strategy for preventing medical conflicts of interest; and a series of meetings on improving health care value through evidence-based medicine.
