Research!America and the TB Alliance, in cooperation with the Office of Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), held a briefing to illustrate the interdependent relationship America shares with global health. The briefing showcased how U.S. investments in global health research have advanced our goals to improve health for Americans and citizens around the world. During the briefing, global health researchers also exposed the vulnerability of the U.S. to global health diseases, focusing on the ancient killer tuberculosis.
Key quotes from Global Health Is America's Health Hill briefing:
"I strongly support investments in global health research. Breakthrough treatments have the potential to save millions of lives while playing a critical role in strengthening health and security at home."
-Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL)
"Isn't it time to agree and prioritize public health programs as essential as defense programs, which need to be maintained and financed as such, rather than as mere social programs, usually forgotten and neglected between crises?"
—Lee Reichman, MD, MPH (Pictured at left)
New Jersey Medical School
Global Tuberculosis Institute
"In Research!America's 2008 Global Health Survey, 39% of Americans said infectious and emerging diseases pose a major threat to the U.S. What about now with H1N1, the potential of the SARS epidemic, and others-it's not if, but when this happens, we will need the resources to head off threats to the U.S. and to all humankind."
—Scott Ratzan, MD, Johnson & Johnson
Speakers:
Ann Ginsberg, MD, PhD
Chief Medical Officer,
TB Alliance- Scott Ratzan, MD
Vice President, Global Health,
Government Affairs & Policy for
Johnson & Johnson;
Ambassador, Research!America's
Paul G. Rogers Society
for Global Health Research - Lee Reichman, MD, MPH
Founding Executive Director of the New Jersey Medical School Global Tuberculosis Institute, and Professor of Medicine, Preventive Medicine and Community Health at the New Jersey Medical School; Ambassador, Research!America's Paul G. Rogers Society for Global Health Research - Nida Shakir, Health Legislative Assistant, Office of Senator Richard Durbin
Moderators:
- Michael Coburn, Chief Operating Officer, Research!America