Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos Appointed to NASEM Committee on Prevention and Control of STIs in the United States

Professor and Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health Director Vincent Guilamo-Ramos has been appointed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to an ad hoc Committee on Prevention and Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections in the United States. The 17-member committee of experts in the field was convened at the request of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study and provide direction for future public health programs, policy, and research in sexually transmitted infections (STI) prevention and control.

According to the CDC, rates of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia reached record highs in 2017, the last year for which data is available. Moreover, many cases go undiagnosed, unreported, and untreated, exacerbating the significant public health challenge. Over the course of the next year, Dr. Guilamo-Ramos and his fellow committee members will examine the epidemiological dimensions of STIs in the U.S.; factors that contribute to the epidemic; the economic burden associated with STIs; current public health strategies and programs to prevent and control STIs; and barriers in the healthcare system and insurance coverage associated with the prevention and treatment of STIs.

The prevalence of STIs in our country is a growing crisis for both individuals and our society,” said Guillermo Chacon, President of the Latino Commission on AIDS. “Dr. Guilamo-Ramos is among the foremost researchers and healthcare providers working to stem this epidemic and it is a tribute to his impact that he has been appointed to this expert committee to further our understanding of the challenges and recommend solutions.”

Among many other roles, Dr. Guilamo-Ramos is NYU's Associate Vice Provost for Mentoring and Outreach Programs; Pilot and Mentoring Core Director at the Center for Drug Use and HIV Research at NYU College of Global Public Health; and a Nurse Practitioner and Research Collaborator at the Adolescent AIDS Program at Children’s Hospital of Montefiore Medical Center. In addition to being a licensed clinical social worker and nurse practitioner, he is board certified in HIV/AIDS nursing (ACRN) and as a HIV specialist (AAHIVS). He is a leading expert in the role of families in promoting adolescent health and has been the principal investigator of numerous federally funded research grants for his work on adolescent sexual and reproductive health.

The committee is expected to deliver its final report in August 2020.