New NIH report highlights need for greater diversity and Inclusion in scientific workforce.

A new report from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has highlighted the need for greater diversity and inclusion within the scientific workforce, specifically for people living with disabilities. Currently, only 10% of science, engineering, and health doctorate holders and less than 2% of researchers funded by the NIH report having a disability, despite the fact that 27% of U.S. adults live with a disability.

The NIH has recently prioritized increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in its workforce and activities, however, people with disabilities have not historically been included in these initiatives. In 2021, the NIH established a subgroup on individuals with disabilities to explore ways to increase disability equity and inclusion. The committee that advises the NIH’s director has endorsed the subgroup’s recommendations, which were published on December 30.

The report includes nine recommendations to tackle the disparities faced by people with disabilities in the scientific field, including updating the NIH’s mission statement to eliminate ableist language, establishing an NIH Office of Disability Research, and developing an internal NIH-wide effort to identify and address structural ableism. The report also recommends expanding efforts to include disability communities and the perspectives of individuals with disabilities in NIH efforts, as well as providing training for NIH staff on disability inclusion and promoting the career development of researchers with disabilities.

It is hoped that these recommendations will help to promote disability inclusion and eliminate ableism within the scientific field, ensuring that research is fully representative and that science reaches its full potential.