Mary Woolley's Weekly Letter: Advocacy Works

By Mary Woolley on May 27, 2021
Dear Research Advocate, President Biden will release his FY22 budget tomorrow. We anticipate that it will be a great day for science, increasing public attention to the importance of science in meeting national goals. As you may remember, the President requested important increases for NIH, CDC, and NSF in his previously-released “skinny” budget and we expect those will remain in the full budget. FDA and AHRQ were not included in the earlier budget; we have been advocating for these important agencies to also receive solid increases. Research!America will be issuing a statement following the release of the full budget. Watch for that and know that we will keep you informed. Last week, we...
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Americans Believe that Science Should be a Part of the Conversation

By Research!America on May 26, 2021
When it comes to politics and policy, Americans overwhelmingly believe that science should be a part of the conversation. In a public opinion survey commissioned by Research!America in January 2021 89% of respondents said it was very or somewhat important for scientists to inform elected officials about their research and its impact on society. Similarly, 88% said it was very or somewhat important for elected officials to listen to advice from scientists, and 87% said it was important for elected officials to listen to advice from public health professionals. Research!America is committed to putting science front and center in policymaking. In order to make this goal a reality, our elected...
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Mary Woolley's Weekly Letter: All In for Science

By Mary Woolley on May 20, 2021
Dear Research Advocate, Did you miss our awards program last Thursday? These segments — a conversation between Dr. Anthony Fauci and Oprah Winfrey and a duet by Dr. Francis Collins and Renée Fleming — are emblematic of inspirational and affecting moments throughout this fast-moving event, which you can view in its entirety here . Bipartisan Support for Science on the Hill: In a strong signal of bipartisan support for bolstering U.S. science and technology, the Senate voted this week to invoke cloture (allow a full Senate vote on) the Endless Frontier Act, now rolled into a larger bill called the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021. Amendments to the EFA (the bill passed in committee...
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Major Changes Needed in Public Health

By Research!America on May 18, 2021
Americans largely think the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed major changes needed to public health systems. We asked participants to select from two statements: “The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that major changes are needed in our public health systems, including more funding” or “The COVID-19 pandemic is a once-in-a-lifetime event and existing systems are dealing with it adequately.” Seven in 10 said they believed that major changes are needed to our public health systems. Though pandemic preparedness is an important component of public health systems, Americans also need these systems to address long-standing public health challenges like the opioid crisis. When asked about opioid abuse...
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Mary Woolley's Weekly Letter: Special Gratitude Edition

By Mary Woolley on May 14, 2021
Dear Research Advocate, “Special” hardly begins to describe yesterday’s extraordinary Research!America Advocacy Awards. We recognized and honored truly inspiring leaders who have been trailblazers in science, public health, and advocacy. The video of the entire virtual event is available here for sampling or to enjoy start to finish! Some highlights: President Joe Biden thanked the honorees for their “profoundly important” work and the broader scientific community for advancing human discovery. “ As we work to put an end to the pandemic, Americans are seeing what matters. It matters that we lead with science and invest in research. It isn't just about COVID-19. We have a chance to alleviate...
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SURVEY: Most Americans Cannot Name a Living Scientist or a Research Institution

By Research!America on May 11, 2021
According to a January 2021 survey commissioned by Research!America, most Americans (72%) cannot name a living scientist. Similarly, over half of Americans could not name a medical or health research institution, and 43% were unaware that medical research is conducted in all 50 U.S. states. However, the number saying they could name a living scientist increased from just 20% in 2017 to 27% in the most recent survey. The increased visibility of science during the COVID-19 pandemic may be behind this jump. Pfizer and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention topped the list of named research institutions. Despite this lack of visibility, those polled largely held scientists in high...
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Mary Woolley's Weekly Letter: Praise, Engage, Advocate

By Mary Woolley on May 6, 2021
Dear Research Advocate, We have exciting news! Research!America’s 2021 Advocacy Awards program on Thursday, May 13 from 4-6 p.m. ET will feature Oprah Winfrey in an exclusive interview with honoree Dr. Tony Fauci. Other special guests Lester Holt, Anchor of NBC Nightly News and Dateline NBC , and NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins will be among those recognizing an extraordinary group of awardees. Don’t miss it! Register here for the event and please spread the word among friends and colleagues. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, the event is free to all. If you would like to make a gift in recognition of the honorees, which will help support Research!America’s efforts to speed medical...
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Americans Support Investment in Research

By Research!America on May 5, 2021
According to results from a Zogby Analytics survey commissioned by Research!America in January 2021, a majority of Americans support research investment. More than 75% believe investing in research is important for achieving key priorities, from economic recovery and job creation to preventing and curing illnesses to maintaining global competitiveness. Three-quarters strongly or somewhat favor doubling federal spending on research over the next five years, and 6 in 10 say they would be willing to pay more in taxes if that money would be spent on medical research. Support for funding university research is high, with about 80% approval for federal and state funding of university research...
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