A NATIONAL consultation on health policy was held at The Carter Center of Emory University, Atlanta, Nov 26 through 28, 1984.1National leaders from private, public, voluntary, and academic institutions met with specialists from many health fields to recommend and develop priorities for interventions directed at unnecessary morbidity and mortality in the United States. The consultation was the second in a three-part, five-year health project of research, planning, and implementation known as "Closing the Gap," and was cochaired by former President Jimmy Carter and Edward N. Brandt, Jr, MD, Assistant Secretary for Health. Contributions appear in this issue from President Carter2and Dr Brandt.3 Rather than seek technologic breakthroughs, the project seeks to focus national health policy on the "gap" represented by health problems that are unnecessary in light of knowledge that already is at hand. Consultants from various medical specialties conducted extensive investigations of the burden