In this Issue
From Washington
Big Gains for Research in Recovery Package
Health Services Research in ARRA
Stem Cell Research: Executive Order Expected
From Research!America
Whitehead Award Winner Named
Research!America Launches New Voices Initiative
Updated Fact Sheet Released at Hill Briefing
In the News
Regular Features
President's Message
Member Spotlight: Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research
Research!America Adds Value for Its Members
Big Gains for Research in Recovery Package
Research!America played a leading role in calling for substantial research funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA; H.R. 1). The final stimulus bill, signed into law February 17, will help revitalize research to improve health in the U.S. Three key agencies will see significant funding increases: $10 billion for the National Institutes of Health, $3 billion for the National Science Foundation and $1.1 billion for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. A $1 billion prevention and wellness fund also was established, and some portion of it will be allocated to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
Sen. Arlen Specter (PA) along with Sens. Tom Harkin (IA) and Dick Durbin (IL) took the lead on securing a big increase for NIH. Specter was one of only three Republicans who voted for ARRA, and the inclusion of $10 billion for NIH was central to his support for the bill. This funding will help make up for the losses to inflation and lack of real growth in the agency's budget in recent years.
After the election, Research!America took the lead in calling for very strong research funding and met with Obama Administration transition teams to discuss how research dollars save and create good jobs and provide the foundation for U.S. leadership in a re-energized, life science-driven global economy. Since then, we strongly supported Specter's call for $10 billion for NIH in ARRA, and we called for robust CDC, NSF and AHRQ funding as well.
Specter acknowledged the critical role that thousands of advocates for research played to help secure the increase for NIH. More than 5,400 messages about ARRA were sent to members of Congress through the Research!America Advocacy Network. Be sure to thank your representative, senators and President Obama for supporting increases for research to improve health in ARRA.
On February 18, Raynard Kington, MD, PhD, acting director of NIH, held a public meeting to share details about how NIH would spend the $10 billion. The bill specifies $7.4 billion to be distributed to the institutes and centers, $1.3 billion for extramural construction and shared equipment, $800 million for the Office of the Director for trans-NIH initiatives and $500 million for improvements to the NIH campus. The funds must be obligated within two years, and most will be allocated to three areas that will be subject to peer review:
- R01 grants and related mechanisms -the approximately 14,000 applications that were approved but unfunded in FY08 will be evaluated to determine if they could be funded within the two-year time limit;
- Existing grants-some will receive competitive or administrative supplements;
- NIH Challenge Grants-the institutes and centers will identify priority research areas in science or public health for these two-year grants, funded at $500,000 each year.
For updates on research funding, visit www.researchamerica.org/advocacy.
Health Services Research in ARRA
With the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality will receive $1.1 billion over two years for comparative effectiveness research:
- $300 million provided to AHRQ to support comparative effectiveness research conducted through the agency's Effective Health Care Program (currently, $30 million is provided to this program);
- $400 million, which would be transferred from AHRQ to the NIH to support its comparative effectiveness research;
- $400 million, which would be transferred to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to, among other things, establish a coordinating council for comparative effectiveness research to advise the Congress and president.
Additionally, ARRA provides $20 billion for health information technology (HIT) that will allow patients and doctors to access better information in a more timely manner and thus allow for more informed health care decisions, prevent duplicative testing and increase patient safety. HIT will also control and health care costs thus allowing for more affordable health care.
Stem Cell Research: Executive Order Expected
Advocates are eagerly anticipating an Executive Order from President Obama that would lift the limits on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research imposed by President Bush. As of press time, Obama was working with congressional champions, so his action will complement any legislation. While legislation is desirable, as it would be more difficult to overturn, an Executive Order could lift the restrictions quickly. The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research is urging Obama to issue an Executive Order as soon as possible.
Reps. Diana DeGette (CO) and Michael Castle (DE) are among the bipartisan group of congressional members working with Obama on stem cell research. Together, they took the lead in December 2008 in sending a letter to Obama urging him to issue such an order.
CAMR received our 2007 Paul G. Rogers Distinguish Advocacy Organization Award. DeGette and Castle were honored in 2006 with our Edwin C. Whitehead Award for Medical Research Advocacy.
Whitehead Award Winner Named
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, will receive Research!America's 2009 Edwin C. Whitehead Award for Medical Research Advocacy at our 20th Anniversary Advocacy Awards dinner. This award honors her accomplishments in advocating for science and health research in Congress.
As House Speaker since 2007 and the representative of California's 8th Congressional District since 1987, Nancy Pelosi has long been a steadfast supporter of science funding. Her leadership on key pieces of legislation, including the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act and the America COMPETES Act, has expanded funding and promoted more favorable policies for science and health research.
Throughout the negotiations of the economic recovery plan, Speaker Nancy Pelosi was a champion for science funding. She was a key supporter of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which will provide $10 billion in funding for the National Institutes of Health.
Our Advocacy Awards dinner will take place March 24 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC. Herbert Pardes, MD, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and Christopher A. Viehbacher, CEO of sanofi-aventis, are Advocacy Awards co-chairs; sanofi-aventis is the corporate host. Randolph Siegel, president and publisher, PARADE magazine, is the media host, and Pfizer Inc will sponsor the Grand Reception.
Our previously announced 2009 award recipients are:
- ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff, Isadore Rosenfeld Award for Impact on Public Opinion
- Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, MD, ScD, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Award for Sustained National Leadership
- Genetic Alliance and its President and CEO Sharon Terry, Paul G. Rogers Distinguished Organization Advocacy Award
- Stowers Institute Founders James E. Stowers Jr. and Virginia G. Stowers, Gordon and Llura Gund Leadership Award
- Nobel Laureate David Baltimore, PhD, Builders of Science Award 2009 marks Research!America's 20th year of making research to improve health a higher national priority.
All winners will accept their awards in person on March 24. Visit www.researchamerica.org/advocacy_awards.
Research!America Launches New Voices for Research
Research!America's latest initiative, New Voices for Research, is empowering young professionals to transform their passion for research into advocacy.
Engaging early-career scientists and researchers from across the country through a public blog and a private online community, Research!America is developing "new voices" who will be articulate advocates working to make science and research higher national priorities.
Many new voices have already been active. In the past six month, seven of our "new voices" have had op-eds and letters to the editor published in papers including The Houston Chronicle, The Birmingham News, Roll Call and The Minneapolis Star Tribune.
The New Voices for Research blog serves as a public face for the community and provides daily posts on advocacy, science communication, opportunities, advocate profiles and policy updates. For a smaller group of passionate advocates, the private New Voices for Research community provides forums for discussion of science policy issues, key connections to enhance members' networks, peer development support, staff-supported resources and guidance for effective communication and advocacy.
Visit the blog at http://newvoicesforresearch.blogspot.com.
Updated Diabetes Fact Sheet Released at Hill Briefing
The Endocrine Society and Research!America sponsored a Hill briefing, "Are Americans Destined to be Fat for Life?" on February 12.
Research!America's Stacie Propst, PhD, presented the results from a public opinion poll on obesity. Leonard Wartofsky, MD, MPH, Washington Hospital Center; Dan Bessesen, MD, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; and Myron Genel, MD, National Children's Study Federal Advisory Committee, provided data about the obesity epidemic in the U.S. Two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, and nearly 20 percent of children are overweight or obese.
Studies show obesity is closely linked with diabetes. Research!America released an updated fact sheet 
at the briefing as part of our Investment in Research Saves Lives and Money series.
Media Matters
Agre on Scientists as Candidates
Peter Agre, MD, director of the Malaria Research Institute at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and recipient of the 2003 Nobel Prize in chemistry, was profiled by New York Times reporter Claudia Dreifus, on his induction as president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dreifus asked his thoughts on Research!America's call for scientists to run for office. He said he agreed but that they can start at the local or state level where they have the highest chances of getting elected.
Next Champions for Health Research?
Laing Rogers Sisto, Research!America board member, wrote a letter to the editor published in the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call, in which she asked who the new heroes will be to follow in her father's model of championing research: "Will you be a new voice for research?"
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
The White House Press Office and The Washington Post both cited Research!America on the potential for 70,000 jobs to be created from the NIH investment alone in the stimulus bill, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
In addition, Research!America President Mary Woolley was quoted on the importance of science funding in ARRA in the Annals of Neurology, in a Reuters news wire story and in a radio segment on National Public Radio affiliate WHYYFM (Philadelphia). Stacie Propst, PhD, vice president of policy and outreach at Research!America, told The Scientist that she supports the decision to let NIH leadership decide how to allocate the funds among the NIH institutes and centers.
Lifting the Ban on Embryonic Stem Cell Research
A TIME cover story profiled American scientist Douglas Melton, PhD, co-director of Harvard University's Stem Cell Institute, and his work in stem cell research. The magazine emphasized the importance of lifting the ban on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research for stem cells created after August 9, 2001.
Matt Hanzlik, co-chair of the Student Society for Stem Cell Research at the University of Minnesota and a member of Research!America's New Voices for Research initiative, reiterated this message in a letter to the editor published in the New Richmond News (WI). The Houston Chronicle cited Research!America public opinion data that shows the majority of Americans favor stem cell research.
Global Health and Research
The Global Health Council has launched its new Global Health magazine, which is being offered in print and online versions. The online version has discussion boards allowing readers to give their input on global health news. See www.globalhealthmagazine.com.
The new AAAS blog ScienceInsider announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was giving $34 million to support the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases to find treatments and cures for infectious diseases that primarily affect people in developing countries.
President's Message
With the passage and signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) last month, President Obama and the 111th Congress made history. With community resolve, the Research!America alliance made history, too. Our determination that the "stimulus package" include NIH, NSF, CDC and AHRQ means tens of thousands of jobs will be protected and created. It means a down payment on the legislation's "reinvestment" intent, as prioritizing research leads to innovation. It has been repeatedly demonstrated that U.S. investment in science and education (another, much larger focus of ARRA) is the primary driver of our economy. Past investments have paid off handsomely in global scientific leadership and significant health advances we now take for granted (HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence, childhood cancers are curable, smoking is unacceptable in public and private buildings and heart disease is largely preventable).
Will the implementation of ARRA, together with the regular appropriations and authorizing processes next on the agenda, succeed in realizing the intent of the Administration and Congress and indeed of the American public? We urge President Obama to name his health team soon and assure it is well coordinated with the science leadership he has already designated. We look forward to hearing from a number of these newly installed individuals at our March 24 National Forum. We also hope to provide an opportunity for our alliance to thank Sen. Arlen Specter for his extraordinary leadership. Join us for lively discussions, moderated by Clive Crook, senior editor of The Atlantic Monthly.
Member Spotlight: Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research
The Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research was established by universities, medical schools, pharmaceutical firms and professional societies in the Commonwealth to foster a better understanding of the benefits of biomedical research to human and animal health, as well as the necessity for the humane treatment of animals in such research.
As part of its mission to educate the public on the humane use of animals in biomedical research, the membership- based advocacy organization Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research promotes science education.
"Most of what we do is educational workshops for groups of teachers and groups of students," said John S. Ellis, PhD, executive director. "We show workshop participants why animals are used in research and they meet the people involved."
Each year, Research!America member PSBR conducts six to eight workshops for each audience.
Increased funding for the National Institutes of Health is important to PSBR and its members. PSBR works closely with the NIH's Office of Science Education.
"NIH funding is important both for our members who conduct research and for our citizens' ability to benefit from that research," Ellis said. "NIH funding is important for the health of the citizens in Pennsylvania as well as the economics involved for the major research institutions."
Pennsylvania's Sen. Arlen Specter was a leader in securing $10 billion for NIH in the recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"Many people don't realize the work Sen. Specter does to support NIH," Ellis said. "It's important for everyone to express thanks to their members of Congress who support research."
Send thanks to Specter and other members of Congress at www.researchamerica.org/advocacy. And find out more about PSBR at www.psbr.org.
Research!America Adds Value for Our Members
- We are one of the strongest and most widely respected voices for medical research advocacy in Washington and across the nation.
- Research!America provides unique, proven advocacy tools, such as public opinion poll data and local, national and global economic investment reports, on a timely, updated basis.
- We are regularly sought out by key media and are the "go-to" source for information on research advocacy and policy.
- Research!America was named the "clearest voice clamoring for increased funding at government life science agencies" by The Scientist.
- We are pioneering outreach to the next generation of medical and scientific leaders by offering training in and encouraging involvement in advocacy and public service.
Research!America members can download the entire March Research Advocate using their member log in. E-mail kfuller@researchamerica.org if you need your log-in information.