Inspiration in Challenging Times
The rapid spread of mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in 12 other regions of Africa, as well as the emergence and spread of a more severe strain of the virus and reports of cases outside of Africa, are grim reminders that infectious threats can emerge and re-emerge in more deadly or communicable forms at any time. While there are no known cases of mpox in the U.S. and the risk of widespread transmission here is low, preparation and vigilance are critical. We’ve put together this brief resource highlighting the critical roles federal research and public health agencies are playing in the mpox response.
Legislation pending in Congress is relevant: Reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), the landmark 2006 law establishing key health security agencies, programs and authorities, is critical to addressing mpox and other biological health threats. Worryingly, reauthorization legislation is stalled. (See this CRS In-Focus brief for background on this important legislation and an update on reauthorization.)
The delay in reauthorizing PAHPA does not inspire confidence but should inspire advocacy! Click-to-tweet to urge congressional leaders to reauthorize PAHPA ASAP.
On the Hill: Speaking of inspiring – in this case, inspirational leaders – this is your last call to sign on to Research!America’s thank you letter to Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME), “Labor-H” Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV). Together these leaders championed a proposed increase of nearly $2 billion for NIH in the Senate FY25 “Labor-H” bill. The deadline to sign is EOD tomorrow. You can read the note here and sign on here.
National Health Research Forum: It’s just four weeks until Research!America’s 2024 National Health Research Forum, Sept. 17 and 18. Join us for (yes, inspiring!) discussions with top federal officials, research leaders, and media on timely topics including the current political environment, accelerating innovation through clinical trials, the impact of climate on health, artificial intelligence and drug development, nutrition and health, and addressing comorbidities in mental health. The Sept. 17 sessions will be virtual, while the Sept.18 discussions will be in person on the campus of The George Washington University (GWU), followed by a reception at GWU. It’s free and open to all, but space is limited. Register here for the virtual day, and register here for the in-person day. Join us for both!
NIH Director’s Statement: In the important realm of science integrity, vigilance against undue foreign influence is crucial, as are steps to prevent vigilance from bleeding into mistreatment of individual scientists. NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli, MD, confronted this duality head on in a recent statement focused on prejudice against Asian scientists (whether they live here or abroad). This Science article takes a deep dive into the factors precipitating her statement. Knowing that the topic of undue foreign influence is fraught, Dr. Bertagnolli did not shrink from taking a stand against prejudice. That is inspired leadership.
Saluting a Ground-breaking Leader: Inspirational leadership is one of the qualities defining a giant in science and friend to me and Research!America, Maxine Singer. Dr. Singer, a molecular biologist and pioneer in genetic engineering, died last month at the age of 93. Her obituary from Carnegie Science captures many of her accomplishments. I join many in the scientific community and beyond in extending a heartfelt salute; we will miss her wisdom and her spirit.
Golden Goose: The thread of this letter is clear by now: “Inspiring.” That certainly applies to those who will be honored at the upcoming 13th annual Golden Goose Awards ceremony. The Golden Goose awards draw attention to seemingly obscure or oddly-titled federally funded studies that have had a major impact on scientific and societal progress. Initiated by former Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN), the awards program responded to the attention garnered by former Sen. William Proxmire (D-WI) for his “Golden Fleece” awards, which targeted research projects that in the Senator’s view were a waste of taxpayer dollars.
Among other things one could say about this is that words definitely matter! It’s all too easy to assume something is silly if you aren’t familiar with scientific vocabulary. In my view, we need, in addition to the Golden Goose Awards, to pay more attention to the titling of scientific projects that are funded by taxpayers who don’t live in the world of science. If you have a few minutes, scroll through the stories of past awardees, (I dare you to do that and resist the temptation to read the stories in full), check out current awardees, and catch the documentary video of last year’s ceremony.
Collaborating to Advance Children’s Health: Join us Wednesday, Sept. 4, at noon E.T., for an alliance discussion with Mike Siegel, MD, Executive Director of the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA). Dr. Siegel draws on a wealth of experience in both academia and non-profit advocacy in his role at PeDRA, an organization that has more than 600 members and works to support research focused on preventing, treating, and curing childhood skin diseases. Register here.