Prevention policy: perspectives on the critical interaction between research and policy.

Prevention researchers should join political and professional efforts to maximize coverage for validated preventive services and programs as part of health care reform. We have a useful framework from Healthy People 2000, the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, and preventive clinical trials. We must anticipate the clinical and community-based questions for which prevention research can provide needed answers. Cancer prevention trials, serum cholesterol and prostate-specific antigen screening, prevention of Helicobacter-related diseases, and comprehensive health promotion strategies for older adults are excellent examples of policy-laden research challenges. To assure future prevention research capability, we must invest in training in epidemiology, biostatistics, behavioral, environmental, and health services research.