Through debra of America’s advocacy work, Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) has made it on the list of eligible diseases for research funding through the U.S. Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP).
The CDMRP includes a Peer Review Panel that consists of Consumer Reviewers (patients, family members, caregivers or health care providers) and scientists. This panel is critically important in evaluating research applications to ensure that the research is relevant and has the potential to make a substantial impact on the community.
The DoD has asked debra of America to recruit those within the EB Community to serve on this Peer Review Panel. This is an incredible opportunity to help influence EB research!
For consideration as a Consumer Reviewer, you must be:
- A family member, caregiver or someone living with EB or a health care provider.
- Willing and able to articulately represent the views of the EB Community rather than their personal perspective.
- Proficient in basic computer skills, with reliable and consistent access to a computer with internet connection as most work is performed on a web-based platform.
- A high school graduate or equivalent who is fluent in reading, speaking, and writing in English.
Applicants should be aware that there is a time commitment of 4-6 weeks prior to the peer review meeting, with an estimate of 40 hours of work in preparation for panel participation. Those 40 hours include training, reading, critique writing and editing. Support and encouragement are provided throughout the process by the program’s Consumer Reviewer Administrators and staff.
A consultant stipend is provided that is reflective of the modality and type of review, and the number of applications assigned. The consultant stipend is not meant to reimburse someone for all their time and effort but is a way to say, Thank You.
If you are interested in being considered for CDMRP’s Peer Review Panel, please email programs@debra.org by Tuesday, April 19, 2022.
