National Health Council
Encyclopedia
The National Health Council (NHC) is a nonprofit association of health organizations.
Its members are national health-related organizations, including leading patient advocacy groups such as the American Cancer Society
, the American Heart Association
, the American Diabetes Association
, and the Alzheimer's Association
.
Other members include professional and membership associations, nonprofit organizations with an interest in health, and major pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology companies. Pharmaceutical company members include Pfizer, Wyeth, GlaxoSmithKline and others. The organization represents the more than 133 million people with chronic diseases and disabilities and their family caregivers.
Founded in the 1920s , the organization is headquartered in Washington, DC. Its activities include strengthening the work of patient advocacy organizations, developing public awareness and advocacy programs , supporting health research , and influencing the health care reform debate .
Among the many federal and private initiatives it is involved in, the NHC is represented on the National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality and provides advice and recommendations to the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
and to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on priorities for a national health services research agenda. The NHC is also one of two U.S. organizations represented on the Board of Governors of the International Alliance of Patients' Organizations .
In December 2008, the NHC and other organizations worked to set the selection criteria for the Obama Administration’s Food and Drug Administration commissioner.
Its members are national health-related organizations, including leading patient advocacy groups such as the American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
, the American Heart Association
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
, the American Diabetes Association
American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association is a United States-based association working to fight the consequences of diabetes, and to help those affected by diabetes...
, and the Alzheimer's Association
Alzheimer's Association
The Alzheimer's Association, incorporated on April 10, 1980 as the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association, Inc., is a non-profit American voluntary health organization which focuses on care, support and research for Alzheimer's disease....
.
Other members include professional and membership associations, nonprofit organizations with an interest in health, and major pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology companies. Pharmaceutical company members include Pfizer, Wyeth, GlaxoSmithKline and others. The organization represents the more than 133 million people with chronic diseases and disabilities and their family caregivers.
Founded in the 1920s , the organization is headquartered in Washington, DC. Its activities include strengthening the work of patient advocacy organizations, developing public awareness and advocacy programs , supporting health research , and influencing the health care reform debate .
Among the many federal and private initiatives it is involved in, the NHC is represented on the National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality and provides advice and recommendations to the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
and to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on priorities for a national health services research agenda. The NHC is also one of two U.S. organizations represented on the Board of Governors of the International Alliance of Patients' Organizations .
Latest Activities
The National Health Council played a key role in lobbying for health care reform legislation in 2009 and 2010. For example the NHC sent numerous letters to members of Congress advocating for “Congress to enact meaningful health care reform legislation that meets the 5 Principles to Put Patients First.” The Principles, as outlined on the NHC’s website are to “Cover Everyone, Curb Costs Responsibly, Abolish Exclusions of Pre-existing Conditions, Eliminate Lifetime Caps, and Ensure Access to Long-term and End-of-life Care.”In December 2008, the NHC and other organizations worked to set the selection criteria for the Obama Administration’s Food and Drug Administration commissioner.