weekly letter

Dear Research Advocate: Our Annual Members Meeting and Advocacy Awards Dinner are coming up on March 16. There is still time to register for both the meeting , where we will hear remarks from Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D., and ALS patient-advocate Lorri Carey, and the dinner , where we will be presenting awards to a distinguished group of research and innovation champions and world class advocates. Join us for an inspiring day! Yesterday, the Senate HELP committee passed a second set of seven bipartisan “Innovations” bills, which focus on a range of topics including combination products, patient input on all aspects of clinical trials and health IT. See...

Dear Research Advocate, The President released his FY17 budget on Tuesday, launching this year’s appropriations process. Unfortunately, his proposed budget falls short of expectations and far short of putting adequate resources to work to find solutions for what ails us. Cuts to the baseline budgets of NIH and CDC , and flat funding for FDA 's drug ($492 million) and biologics ($215 million) programs are proposed. While temporary, mandatory funding is provided for several important initiatives -- $755 million for the cancer moonshot initiative, $107 million for precision medicine, and $1.8 billion to address the Zika virus, this nation cannot sustain a robust research infrastructure with...

Dear Research Advocate, The shocking attacks in Beirut and Paris serve as reminders of the global interconnectedness of our society. In so many ways, the tragedies others face are also ours and their challenges are our challenges, health challenges very much included. Last evening I interviewed Dr. Tamar Kokashvili, a grantee of CRDF Global, at their 20th anniversary dinner. Dr. Kokashvili, who hails from the nation of Georgia, collaborates with University of Maryland scientists to characterize genetic diversity of cholera bacteria (over 200 strains, complicating both diagnosis and treatment). Just in the last few weeks we have learned of cholera outbreaks in Syrian refugee camps, and...

Dear Research Advocate, There is still time to join us -- virtually -- at today’s sold-out Health Research Forum. WebMD is livestreaming the event, which will begin a little before noon EST at the Newseum in Washington, DC. Find details on the event HERE , and livestreaming info HERE . Follow and join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #RAForum15. Also today, on the advocacy front, NDD United is sending a letter with 2,500+ signatories, Research!America among them, to members of Congress. The letter calls for an approach to sequestration relief that includes both defense and non-defense discretionary spending. NDD advocates will be on the Hill today handing out baseball...