Paul G. Rogers Society for Global Health Research

*2008 Call for Nominations now open*

The Paul G. Rogers Society for Global Health Research, named for the former Congressman—a renowned advocate for health—serves the public's interest by increasing U.S. support for global health research and by engaging America's leading scientists in effective advocacy. Those selected as Society Ambassadors are highly respected "citizen scientists" and advocates committed to making global health research a higher national priority. In consultation with Research!America, they engage policy makers, thought leaders, the media and the public on the value and importance of global health research.

The Rogers Society is comprised of 50 scientific leaders representing a broad spectrum of medical and public health research. The Society is led by an Advisory Council chaired by The Honorable John Edward Porter. The Council, composed of significant voices in global health research, public policy and communications, selects the Ambassadors and provides strategic direction to the Society. Read the press release announcing the launch of the Society.

The 2008 Call for Nominations is now open. Nominate an ambassador for global health research.

Paul G. Rogers Society for Global Health Research Ambassadors are leading U.S. experts who, through their work, communicate to decision makers and the media that U.S. investment in global health research is the smart thing to do for America and the right thing to do for the world.

Nominations are due September 15, 2008.

IOM report to focus on US investment in global health research funding

The Institute of Medicine Committee on the U.S. Commitment to Global Health convened a full day session on July 7, 2008 to identify and target the gaps and priorities in U.S. contributions to global disease challenges. Experts included three Rogers Society Ambassadors - Jeffrey P. Koplan, MD, MPH, Robert Edward Black, MD, MPH and Peter J. Hotez, MD, PhD. The session's comments will inform the Institute of Medicine's preliminary report in December and the final report in April, which will make recommendations to the new administration and Congress. Read key points made during the meeting here.

Global Health Research Featured in Ad

Society Ambassadors urge our leaders to invest in research to save lives and improve health around the world in an ad that ran in The Hill and other publications.

Ambassador outreach highlights:

Tulsa World and the Edmond Sun ran an opinion editorial by Peter Hotez, MD, PhD and University of Oklahoma College of Public Health Dean Gary E. Raskob, PhD, "Sometimes bumpy road pays large dividends for health."

Gretchen Birbeck, MD, MPH shared with Michiganders why Borders Don't Block Disease and why Americans have a large stake in global health research.

Adel A.F. Mahmoud, MD, PhD, was honored May 13 at the Friends of the National Library of Medicine annual dinner, “Celebrating Advancements in Children’s Health Research and Treatment.” While in Washington, Mahmoud also met with his elected officials; Rep. Donald Payne (NJ), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, and the offices of Sens. Frank Lautenberg (NJ), Robert Menendez (NJ) and Rep. Rush Holt (NJ). He asked of his New Jersey delegation, “Where are our champions for global health research? In a state where global health research plays a pivotal role in driving the economy and building prestige, we need strong, positive voices on the Floor.”

William Tierney, MD was featured in the Indianapolis Star on Memorial Day in "Livesaving Work: Computer 'geek' streamlines health care in Kenya ." He helped bring to fruition the first outpatient electronic medical record system in sub-Saharan Africa. Tierney talks about his research and passion - "it's a place where information geeks can save lives, so why wouldn't you focus your attention there? This essentially is saving lives. They can treat more patients and get the medications to them that they need."

Wafaa El-Sadr, MD, MPH, MPA, of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, has been named to the World Health Organization's Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Tuberculosis.

The Capital Times (Madison, WI) newspaper published an opinion piece by Linda Baumann, PhD, RN, of the University of Wisconsin, "Global health research good for us, world. " Noting the increase of diabetes in Madison and in countries like Vietnam and Uganda, she calls for greater investment in global health research as "the smart thing to do for America and the right thing to do for the world."

Melinda Moore, MD, MPH presented Pandemic Influenza Preparedness in Southeast Asia and the Middle East at a Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill, making the point that global health research is important for the U.S. as well as the rest of the world. In attendance: three Congressional jurisdictions (health, homeland security, and international affairs), including staff from Senate Homeland Security and Foreign Relations Committees, the House Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee, the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Senators Barack Obama, Ron Wyden, Barbara Mikulski, and Dick Durbin and outside groups such as the National Governors Association, Department of Homeland Security, and ISIS Center Georgetown University.

Philip Hopewell, MD, of the University of California, San Francisco, with the Stanford Public Health Initiative and Stanford University professor John Farquhar, MD, gave a presentation to Stanford students and faculty on the importance of global health research, its future, and engaging the community in the political process.

An op-ed co-authored by Ambassador Chris Elias, MD, was published in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, November 29, 2007

Samuel L. Stanley, Jr, MD , vice chancellor for research at Washington University in St. Louis, spoke with Brent Martin of radio station Missourinet about keeping good health habits while traveling.

Nancy Glass, PhD, MPH, RN and John Clemens, MD recently met with their elected officials to discuss the value and importance of global health research.

Peter F. Wright, MD, of Vanderbilt University, had the opportunity to share his work with Sens. Tom Harkin (IA), Jeff Bingaman (NM) and Bob Corker (TN) in Haiti and discuss its bearing on Americans.

Additional policymaker meetings took place between Gretchen Birbeck, MD, MPH, DTMH, of Michigan State University, and the offices of the Michigan congressional delegation: Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, and Reps. Mike J. Rogers, Joe Knollenberg and Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, to discuss global health research and its importance in Michigan.

Tennessean Editorials Highlight Rogers Society Global Health Research Advocacy Goal

The Nashville newspaper The Tennessean published nearly three pages of articles related to global health research after meeting with Ambassadors James E.K. Hildreth, MD, PhD ; Sten H. Vermund, MD, PhD; and Peter F. Wright, MD. The Sunday coverage included columns from each of the researchers, an editorial calling for the United States to increase its investment in global health research, a today's topic and readers' views about global health research.

Initial funding provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

For more information, contact:

A Portrait of Leadership, A Fighter for Health, The Honorable Paul Grant Rogers highlights the major contributions to healthcare reform that Paul Rogers made during his 24 year congressional career and 25 years since as partner with Hogan and Hartson law firm in Washingron DC. The book also presents a study of Rogers' effective leadership style and presents his model of leadership as one to be emulated by leaders of any organization. This book was written by Research!America emeritus board member Roger Bulger, former president of the Association of Academic Health Centers.