Americans Say Congress Should Take Swift Action to Assure Patients Benefit from Treatments and Cures for Diseases
New Poll Data Summary booklet reveals concerns among Americans about the pace of medical progress
Majorities across the political spectrum say it is important that the new 114th Congress takes action on assuring the discovery, development and delivery of treatments and cures for diseases in the first 100 days of the legislative session (75% Democrats, 64% Republicans and 60% Independents), according to America Speaks, Volume 15, a compilation of public opinion polls commissioned by Research!America. As Congress considers numerous proposals in support of research, including the 21st Century Cures draft legislation aimed at speeding the delivery of lifesaving treatments to patients, it is notable to see public support in favor of accelerating medical progress.
“The new Congress has the opportunity to reinvigorate our research ecosystem and enact policies that will enable the private sector to expand innovation,” said Research!America Chair John Edward Porter. “Congress must work in a bipartisan fashion to realize the potential of promising studies to prevent and treat disease.”
An increasing percentage of Americans say the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should move more quickly in order to get new treatments to patients, even if it means there may be risks. In 2015, 38% favor faster regulatory review, compared to 30% in 2013. Meanwhile, 25% say the FDA should act more slowly in order to reduce risk, even if it means patients may wait longer for treatments. Another 19% are undecided on this question and 18% do not agree with either position. Continue reading →
Statement by Research!America President and CEO Mary Woolley on FY15 Cromnibus Spending Bill
The tiny increases included in the “Cromnibus” bill for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and our nation’s other health research agencies are just that. The underwhelming support for the NIH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Science Foundation and the Food and Drug Administration following years of stagnant funding and budget cuts begs the question – how low can we go, given health threats the likes of which stand to bankrupt the nation? And the decision to flat-fund the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality does not provide what it takes to reduce the much-complained of inefficiencies in our health care system. The pain and economic drain of one disease alone – Alzheimer’s – is not going to be effectively confronted without stronger investments in research. Every American who wants to see our nation overcome health threats, create jobs and shore up our economy for sustained prosperity must make it clear to the next Congress that it can and must do more, making research and innovation a strategic national priority.
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Breast Cancer Doesn’t Know It’s October
Excerpt of an op-ed by Susan G. Komen President and CEO Judith A. Salerno published in The Huffington Post.
As I conducted numerous media interviews about the continued need for research, education, treatment support, and advocacy, it occurred to me that it would be great if we were talking about breast cancer like this every day of the year.
It’s really quite simple. Breast cancer doesn’t know (and doesn’t care) that it’s October, because breast cancer is diagnosed and kills women and men every day of every month of every year. Every 19 seconds, somewhere in the world, a person has a new diagnosis of breast cancer. In the U.S., a woman is diagnosed every two minutes, and one dies every 13 minutes from this terrible disease.
Those are shocking numbers, and behind every one of those numbers is a compelling story. A mother who by sheer will lived long enough to watch a child graduate from high school. A daughter taken too soon from parents who would have given anything to switch places with her. A father carrying a gene mutation that passed breast cancer on to his daughters. A woman without money, without insurance, terrified to seek help until the tumor was breaking through her skin.
I think of these stories in October, and November, and June and April, as does everyone in the breast cancer movement. As much joy as we take in celebrating the women who are cancer-free; as much pride as we take in funding leading research; as much effort as we put into helping the most vulnerable people in our communities, we know that we will be continuing this work until we can shut off the lights and go home, because we’ve cured and prevented this disease.
Read the full op-ed here.
Fear of vision loss top concern among Americans across all racial and ethnic groups
Stagnant funding could threaten progress in eye research
America’s minority populations are united in the view that not only is eye and vision research very important and needs to be a national priority, but many feel that current federal funding ($2.10 per person, per year) is not enough and should be increased. This may stem from the evidence that most minority populations recognize to some degree that individuals have different risks of eye disease depending on their ethnic heritage.
And while these Americans rate losing their eyesight as having the greatest impact on their daily life and having a significant impact on their independence, productivity and overall quality of life, 50 percent of Americans who suffer from an eye-related disease are not aware of it.
These statics and more were the topic of discussion at a press event in Washington, D.C., today, where members of the media and leaders in the eye and vision research community gathered to interact with a panel of experts and weigh in on the topic of The Public’s Attitudes about the Health and Economic Impact of Vision Loss and Eye Disease. Continue reading →
How To Help Accelerate Medical Progress In America
Excerpt of an article published in the Imperial Valley News.
Each year in the United States, nearly 16,000 kids are diagnosed with cancer. And on any given day, as many as 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Beyond its debilitating symptoms, the death rate for Alzheimer’s is on the rise.
But there are steps you can take to protect your family from these potentially devastating medical conditions.
One idea that may come as a surprise to many Americans is to contact your congressional representatives and the candidates for their seats.
That’s the suggestion of a national, nonpartisan, voter education initiative called “Ask Your Candidates!” designed to empower voters to talk to candidates about the future of medical progress in the United States. Congress plays a key role in influencing the future of lifesaving research. Many voters are asking candidates if, once elected, they will vote to increase federal funding for medical research and support policies that spur innovation.
The initiative helps voters engage candidates on social media and through local events, grassroots, advertising and other interactive projects.
Read the full article here.
National Public Health Week
Public health is the backbone of our society. Without the contributions of public health initiatives, what new disease epidemic might we face and how many lives would be lost? Successful public health programs depend on research, an often underappreciated facet of the system. By taking a critical look at the data and bringing the right programs to the right communities at the right time, research can target and increase the effectiveness of public health interventions.
This year, celebrate National Public Health Week by talking to your candidates for Congress. Start a dialogue – tell them why research for medical progress and public health is important to you, and ask them where they stand. You can send an email message to your candidate, send them a tweet (include the #AYCresearch hashtag) or attend a town hall near you and ask in person. On Election Day, feel empowered to vote for the candidate who best reflects your priorities. If we don’t know where medical progress fits among the priorities of the people we elect, we will all pay the price. Visit the Ask Your Candidates! website to learn more.
Statement by Research!America president and CEO Mary Woolley on Omnibus Bill
We applaud portions of the omnibus bill that support the nation’s research, innovation and public health ecosystem, which works to assure our future health and economic well-being. The growth in funding for the Food and Drug Administration, fueled in part by the common-sense return of the 2013 user fees, as well as the increases for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Science Foundation are welcome news.
But funding for the National Institutes of Health has been kept well below the level of scientific opportunity. We must eliminate sequestration once and for all, and grow our investment in NIH in order to slow and halt the progression of diseases and disabilities ranging from Alzheimer’s to diabetes to traumatic brain injury. The appropriators have worked in good faith to move the nation forward. But as long as Congress avoids the primary issues fueling our national debt – tax and entitlement reform – it will be difficult to invest robustly in solutions to our problems.
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