With Yale School of Medicine as a founding member, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is launching the IGNITE Consortium—the first national, pediatric hematology-oncology health equity research consortium. In all, pediatric oncology experts from 12 leading national institutions comprise the consortium. The lead site will be Dana-Farber. The Consortium seeks to close a huge gap in research specifically focused on eliminating disparities in pediatric cancer outcomes.
The initiative aims to eradicate inequities for children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with cancer or blood disorders via the rapid development and evaluation of policy-relevant, evidence-based and community informed health equity interventions. Their vision and mission: to eradicate inequities for children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer and blood disorders by ensuring equitable access to the best possible care and outcomes.
"Our consortium is committed to addressing health inequities in pediatric and adolescent oncology through an innovative framework focused on development and deployment of health equity interventions. By focusing on the root causes of disparities, we are ensuring that every patient, regardless of background and life circumstances, has the opportunity to experience similar outcomes and equitable care throughout their cancer journey."
Vidya Puthenpura, MD, MHS, FAAP, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Hematology/Oncology)
In addition to Dana-Farber and Yale School of Medicine, the other consortium members are: Dissemination & Implementation Science Center UC San Diego; Columbia University Irving Medical Center; Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; Seattle Children’s Hospital; University of Alabama at Birmingham; Cincinnati Children’s Hospital; Children’s Hospital Colorado; Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford; UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.