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Research!America is dedicated to ensuring a strong public and private sector investment in research to improve health at a level warranted by scientific opportunity and supported by public opinion. Member organizations and others share their perspectives on a wide variety of topics relating to public and private sector research and innovation, and public health. The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the view of Research!America.

Recent Blog Posts

Mary Woolley's Weekly Letter: RISE to the Challenge

By Mary Woolley on February 11, 2021
Dear Research Advocate, Public Support for a Science Strong Future : A new survey commissioned by Research!America affirms Americans’ support for investing in research as a top priority for the new Congress and Administration. Four of five express strong support for the value of both public and private sector research and innovation, and the percentage of Americans indicating support for basic research “even if it brings no immediate benefits” grew from 77% in August 2020 to 85% in January 2021, with three of four now favoring doubling federal spending on medical research. As reassuring as the new survey data is in most regards, one in five Americans say they have lost confidence in science...
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Mary Woolley's Weekly Letter: Recognizing, Reconciling, and Revitalizing

By Mary Woolley on February 4, 2021
Dear Research Advocate, In celebrating Black History Month, we acknowledge and honor the generations of African Americans who have significantly contributed to our nation’s history. Many resilient, unsung heroes have helped enact critical change in the areas of science policy and research advocacy. In collaboration with the National Science Policy Network, Research!America has curated a collection of videos that recognize #BlackInSciPol professionals. Learn more about these scientists in the vanguard of their fields, both past and present, by following #BlackInSciPolWeek on Twitter. Pushing for Health Equity : President Biden released an Executive Order on Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic...
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Mary Woolley's Weekly Letter: Full Speed Ahead

By Mary Woolley on January 28, 2021
Dear Research Advocate, Getting a fast start on assuring that our nation reclaims our – let’s face it – war-torn identity as a science-strong nation, the Biden Administration is moving full speed ahead. Consider PCAST (the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology ). President Biden issued an Executive Order (EO) chartering his advisory council earlier than any of the last four administrations. (You can track all of the President’s EOs here .) The President elevating the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to a cabinet-level position is another straight-out-of-the-gate action. A cabinet-level science advisor is the first of three recommendations...
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Mary Woolley's Weekly Letter: Science Is America’s Best Ally

By Mary Woolley on January 21, 2021
Dear Research Advocate, As President Biden said yesterday during his inaugural address, “With unity, we can do great things. Important things.” Science has long been a unifier — for the public and policymakers alike — and, due to the pandemic, is more in the forefront now than in many, many years. Science is the right partner for “The hill we climb; If only we dare”, in the words of inaugural poet Amanda Gorman. Last week’s announcement of the elevation of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) director to the President’s Cabinet was groundbreaking, placing science and technology at the table, in the most literal sense. The nomination of Dr. Eric Lander as Presidential Science...
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Mastering COVID-19 Vaccine Messaging

By Erin Brown, MPP on January 19, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the United States and the world, with extraordinary human tragedy and economic disruption. Since March 2, 2020, nearly 400,000 people in the United States have died of COVID-19 and more than 21 million cases have been identified. Over the next month, an estimated 820,000 to two million new cases are projected in the U.S. As COVID-19 cases continue to surge, the FDA’s authorization of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines is a critical step towards immobilizing the spread of COVID-19. But ensuring a critical mass of people are vaccinated is essential in bringing an end to the pandemic. According to a recent JAMA article , the share of U.S...
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Mary Woolley's Weekly Letter: Stimulating Progress

By Mary Woolley on January 14, 2021
Dear Research Advocate, Supplemental Funding Needs, Part 1 : President-elect Biden has indicated he will seek bipartisan support for a supplemental funding measure to address the urgent and ever-evolving needs created by this vicious and ongoing pandemic. Research!America has sent a letter to the President-elect with several supplemental funding requests, and we will follow up with a letter to Congressional leadership. Earlier this week we held an alliance member meeting with NIH Principal Deputy Director Dr. Larry Tabak and Deputy Director for Extramural Research Dr. Michael Lauer ( recording here ). Every minute of this meeting provided vital information on how the agency is struggling to...
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The 10 Most Popular Research!America Blog Posts of 2020

By Research!America on January 8, 2021
With 2020 in our rearview mirror, we’re taking a look back at our 10 most popular blog posts (based on page views) for the year. The posts cover a wide range of topics including basic and clinical research, public health, clinical trials, and the impacts of COVID-19. We thank our distinguished group of guest bloggers including young researchers, academics, industry experts, public health professionals, and patient advocates as well as the staff here at Research!America who are united in support for stronger investments in research and innovation to combat diseases and build a safer, stronger, healthier nation. 1) Explained: How a COVID-19 Serology Test Works and Obstacles to its Use May 19...
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Mary Woolley's Weekly Letter: Aftershock

By Mary Woolley on January 7, 2021
Dear Research Advocate, Leadership Required : For so many of us, the events of the last 24 hours are difficult to fully comprehend. Our nation has experienced a profound shock to our democracy. The tragic overlay to this tumultuous time is that our nation faces an enemy that thrives on the very distrust, turmoil, and political gridlock we have been witnessing. COVID-19 has now killed more than 360,000 Americans — more lives lost in just ten months than the entire population of 99.7% of the cities and towns in this nation. In addition to assuring the peaceful transition of power to a new Administration, federal, state, and local lawmakers, and leaders from all sectors, can — and they must —...
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2020 Resources, All in One Place

By Research!America on January 7, 2021
For more than 30 years, the organizations that constitute the Research!America alliance – patient advocates, research universities, independent research institutes, academic health centers, scientific societies, biomedical, medical technology and data companies, philanthropies, and more – have fought hard and successfully for life-saving progress. During a year in which alliance members were called to defeat COVID-19, even as you confronted its destructive effects, our alliance members – you – stepped up. While Research!America advocacy and communications efforts redoubled in 2020 (40 letters and 7,000 emails to Congress; 141 meetings with congressional offices; and a more than five-fold...
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Mary Woolley's Weekly Letter: Moving Forward to 2021

By Mary Woolley on December 23, 2020
Dear Research Advocate, Earlier this week, Congress passed a long-awaited legislative package containing FY21 funding and COVID-19 emergency dollars. However, President Trump has publicly criticized the bill and of this writing, it’s unclear whether he will sign it or seek changes. The current Continuing Resolution keeping the federal government open expires on December 28, 2020. Needless to say, we are closely monitoring the situation. Let’s look at the bill Congress approved: For FY21, it contains increases over the prior year of over $1 billion for NIH, $200 million for NSF, $125 million for the CDC, and $42 million for the FDA. Unfortunately, the Agency for Healthcare Research and...
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We have health challenges in this country that science will provide answers for if given the chance and we haven't given science that opportunity
Mary Woolley, President and CEO, Research!America