Children’s receives $3M research grant from Mallinckrodt

Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals has awarded a $3 million Healthcare Advancement Grant to Children’s National Health System, supporting a research initiative focused on pediatric patients in the intensive care setting.

In the U.S., 20 percent of hospitalized children are cared for in the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU). Yet this is an under-researched patient population with layers of complexity. These patients face a 2.5 to 5 percent mortality rate, with 5 to 10 percent serious morbidity rate, and the morbidity and mortality rates double within three years.

Children’s National is uniquely qualified to address this opportunity, with its level IV neonatal ICU, ranked third in the nation by U.S. News and World Report in its 2016-2017 Best Children’s Hospitals survey. Home to the Children’s Research Institute and the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children’s National is one of the nation’s top National Institute of Health (NIH)-funded pediatric institutions. It is a member of the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network of the NIH and enjoys strong partnerships with major universities in the Washington, DC, area, providing data-generation resources. The institution plans to mine data from this myriad of sources and more to unearth knowledge and improve outcomes.

Children’s National has identified three priorities to launch and execute this multi-year initiative, specifically:

• Establish a Critical Care Outcomes Research Initiative team
• Build on existing partnerships and expand to acquire additional data
• Build outcomes research studies in the critical care arena

“We applaud Mallinckrodt for their forward thinking as we begin this important research initiative that will help meet the challenges faced by seriously ill pediatric patients,” said Robin Steinhorn, M.D., Senior Vice President for the Center for Hospital-Based Specialties. “We firmly believe the combination of this generous research grant, our many collaborative relationships and Children’s National’s renowned research enterprise will lead to improved outcomes for children in the future.”