Connections
Members of the 119th Congress were sworn in on Jan. 3, and President-elect Trump’s election was officially certified on Jan. 6. The Senate has turned its attention to presidential nominees. Some confirmation hearings have already been scheduled, but as of this writing, no hearings have been set for Department of Health and Human Services nominees (see a running list of those nominees here).
In your advocacy to Congress, keep in mind that Congress has yet to complete work on FY25 appropriations legislation even as work on FY26 appropriations will begin soon. The current temporary FY25 funding (CR) expires on March 14. Meanwhile, federal agencies have hit the “pause” button on programs addressing pressing new priorities. Urge Congress to finalize appropriations as soon as possible!
Strategy Session: We invite you to connect and help us all prepare for 2025 and 2026 advocacy at our next alliance member-only strategy session, taking place via Zoom on Jan. 23 at noon ET. We will be joined by Mary Dee Beal and Leslie Zelenko from KDCR Partners to provide a D.C. update, and we’ll resume the 2025 policy and advocacy strategy session that got off to such a productive start during last month’s meeti
ng. If you are with a Research!America alliance member organization, email Jacqueline Lagoy for the link. If your organization is interested in learning more about alliance membership, email Kristen Furlong.
Research and Development at Work: The FDA approved 50 new drugs in 2024, highlighting how science and technology are transforming lives today while laying the groundwork for future breakthroughs. These treatments address a diverse range of conditions, including rare diseases, cancers, infections, and neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and epilepsy. Medical progress not only benefits patients directly now and going forward but sets the stage for new advances that increase the pace of progress over time, especially important for all the people who live with debilitating and potentially deadly diseases. Patients need progress! Explore the full list of new FDA-approved drugs and their uses by clicking here.
Addressing Women’s Health Research: I encourage you to read this blog post from the Society for Women’s Health Research, which lays out progress made in women’s health research – and the work that still needs to be done. This recent report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the subject of a JAMA commentary, recommends the establishment of a new NIH institute dedicated to women’s health. To ensure better health for all, we must ensure that research is tailored for all.
Fox Honored: Michael J. Fox, whom we honored in 2003 with the Isadore Rosenfeld Award for Impact on Public Opinion (and in 2023 we honored his Foundation with the Paul G. Rogers Distinguished Organization Award), was recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award, by President Biden in recognition of his tireless advocacy for Parkinson’s research over the past few decades. Congratulations Michael on this well-deserved honor!
ICYMI: If you couldn’t make our fireside chat earlier this week with award-winning medical journalist Elizabeth Cohen — our 2025 Isadore Rosenfeld Award for Impact on Public Opinion – take a few moments to watch it here.
Connect With a Public Health Champion: Join us on Feb. 3 at 2 p.m. ET for a discussion with Dr. Alfred Sommer, Dean Emeritus, University Distinguished Service Professor, Professor Emeritus, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and recipient of Research!America’s 2025 Outstanding Achievement in Public Health Award. In conversation with fellow Bloomberg School professor Dr. Scott Zeger, Dr. Sommer will share insights from his storied career – from his lifesaving work as a physician-scientist making the connection between Vitamin A deficiency and childhood mortality to his leadership as dean of the Bloomberg School. We hope you can join, and participate in, this special discussion. Register on Zoom.
A New Prescription: As Dr. Vivek Murthy’s tenure as U.S. Surgeon General comes to an end on Jan. 20, he has drafted a “Parting Prescription for America” that urges us to focus on the central role of community as a path to improved health and greater connection. Building connections with each other can lead to positive outcomes, and it is something that we as research advocates should keep in mind. There is power in the community, power in connections.