A&M AND DRISCOLL HOSPITAL ANNOUNCE HEALTH INSTITUTE

  

Texas A&M and Driscoll Children’s Hospital have announced plans to create a Hispanic health institute for clinical research and education programs.

Officials say the institute will initially focus on improving access to clinical trials.

The Texas A&M & Driscoll Children’s Hospital Global Institute for Hispanic Health — initially funded with $2 million — will be established at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi.

The reach of the program will include all of South Texas through specialty clinics in Brownsville, Harlingen, McAllen, Laredo and Victoria; the university’s academic units; and outreach activities of Texas A&M.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has reported that Hispanics represent about 16 percent of the U.S. population but only 1 percent of the clinical trial participants.