Leadership: Advocacy and Public Policy in the Biomedical Research Arena

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Leadership Advocacy and Public Policy in the
Biomedical Research Arena

• WILLIAM (BILL) R. BRINKLEY, Ph.D
• VICE PRESIDENT FOR GRADUATE SCIENCES
• DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
• BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
• HOUSTON, TX 77030
• brinkley_at_bcm.tmc.edu
• Rm N204G

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LEADERSHIP IN PUBLIC POLICY FOR SCIENCE

• Objectives
• What is science policy?
• Why scientists must be active in public policy
• How to become active in public policy
• How to be an effective advocate
• a. Grass roots
• b. Scientific societies and other groups.
• Case study Campaign to double the NIH budget in
  5 years
• ( public policy success story and follow-up)

Definition Any policy that affects or
influences public awareness, perception or
support of science or medicine and its value to
society. i.e., federal funding for research, the
use of animals in research, stem cell research,
cloning and ethics, genetically modified food
production, education (i.e. teaching of
creationism vs. evolution).
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Current Issues

• Stem Cell Research Cloning
• Conflicts of Interest
• Health Care Access Cost
• Health Disparities
• Peer Review
• Transparency/Public Access
• Maintaining Public Trust
• Science Education/Evolution vs. Intelligent
  design.
• The Environment and Global Health
• Culture of Science
• Few Champions for Science Among
• Elected Officials

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Too many voter have not made the
connection between science and prosperity.
Scientists need to tell the story. Its a good
story. It has to be told and it has to be sold.
Tell the story with data, Tell it with
anecdotes and tell it often
Neal Lane, Ph.D.Senior Fellow in Science and
Technology, University Professor, Rice
University
Director White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy, 1998 to 2001
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I have found scientist to be among the least
effective lobbyists and have watched more
focused special interests receive more
funding
Newt GingrichFormer Speaker of the United
States House of Representatives University of
California at San Diego speech June 1998
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Proactive Scientific Citizenship

• It is a privilege to be engaged in scientific
  research.
• The relationship between science and society is
  growing ever more intimate.
• The spirit of inquiry behind science is not
  self-sustaining. It is increasingly dependent on
  societal support.
• It is our moral responsibility to be good
  stewards of this support and to communicate our
  findings to the public.

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Obligations to the Public

• They sponsor our work.
• They are the consumers of our research.
• They make decisions about research priorities and
  applications.
• They will produce the next generation of
  scientists.

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It Is Easy to Ignore Our Obligations to the Public

• We are wrapped up in our work.
• The pressures on our time are great.
• The pace of discovery is accelerating.
• We speak a specialized language.

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• How to find your Senators and Representative
• Site www.faseb.org
• 2. Click on Policy Issues and Advocacy
• 3. Click on Legislative Action Center
• 4. Enter your Zip Code (or street address, city,
  state)
• By Elected Officials,
• then click GO

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HOW A STUDENT OR YOUNG SCIENTISTS CAN GET
INVOLVED AND BE HEARD JOIN A NATIONAL
SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY THAT SERVES YOUR AREA OF
SCIENCE VOLUNTEER TO SERVE ON PUBLIC
POLICY COMMITTEES IN YOUR SOCIETY. EXERT YOUR
PRIVILEGES AS A CITIZEN. WRITE YOUR SENATOR AND
REPRESENATIVE STATE AND NATIONAL VISIT YOUR
CONGRESSIONAL MEMBER WHEN WHEN VISITING THE
STATE OF NATIONS CAPITOL VOLUNTEER TO SPEAK TO
PUBLIC GROUPS, SHOOLS, SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS,
ETC
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Educate Your Congressional Representatives

• Be proactive
• Establish credibility
• Be a resource

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BI-PARTISAN! CHAMPIONS
FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
Sen. Arlen Specter Chair Labor/HHS REPUBLICAN
Sen. Tom Harkin Ranking Member DEMOCRAT
Bipartisan Support for the NIH!
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ASCB
SCHOOLS CHURCH TOWN HALL
SHO
FASEB
RESEARCH ! AMERICA
TAMR
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Speak Directly to the Public

• Civic organizations
• Schools
• Disease support groups

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Building Bridges to Journalists

• Reasons for the gap between scientists and the
  Press/Public
• Avoid jargon
• Be concise
• Build trust with reporters

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HOW TO TARGET YOUR ADVOCACY TO GET THE MOST IMPACT
Arlen Specter, Chair
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Tips for your visit (you may only have five
minutes!)

• Get your message straight.
• Describe the implications of your work.
• Learn about the interests and concerns of the
  public.
• Prepare a simple document.
• Use illustrations.

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GOALS OF PUBLIC POLICY
WITH

Communicate with the public
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www.researchamerica.org
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Research!America Polls
Commissioning public opinion polls on research
issues for 13 years

• National Polls
• State-Based Polls
• Issue-Specific Polls

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Strategy Tell a StoryHeart Disease

• Then Heart disease killed quickly and without
  warning.
• Now Deaths from heart disease have dropped by
  60 and is no longer the number one killer of
  Americans under the age of 85.
• Imagine Eliminating preventable deaths due to
  heart disease.

Source NHLBI/NIH (1998, 2002).
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Cancer

• Then In the 1970s, only one child in 10
  survived cancer.
• Now Today, 7 out of 10 children who develop
  cancer are alive five years after diagnosis.
• Imagine Eliminating suffering and death due to
  cancer by the year 2015.

Sources NCI SEER database American Cancer
Society 1997
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Americans Believe Commitment to Research Should
Be Higher
As we look for ways to manage health care costs
in our country, do you think that the national
commitment to health-related research should be
Source National Survey, 2005 Charlton Research
Company for Research!America
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Strong Support for Basic Research
Even if it brings no immediate benefits, basic
science research which advances the frontiers of
knowledge is necessary and should be supported by
the federal government.
Source National Survey, 2005 Charlton Research
Company for Research!America
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About six cents of every health dollar in the
U.S. is spent on medical and health research.
Source 2002 Investment in U.S. Health
Research, Issue Paper compiled by Emily Thompson
and Stacie Propst, PhD, for Research!America,
2004.
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Therapeutic Cloning Should Be Allowed
Therapeutic cloning is the use of cloning
technology to help in the search for possible
cures and treatments for diseases and
disabilities. Do you think that research into
therapeutic cloning should be allowed?
Source National Survey, 2005 Charlton Research
Company for Research!America
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Doubling the NIH Budgeta Case Study in Advocacy
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CAMPAIGN TO DOUBLE THE FUNDING FOR THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 1998-2003
HOW A DEDICATED GROUP OF SCIENTISTS EXERTED THEIR
RIGHTS AS CITIZENS TO INFLUENCE OUR FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO DOUBLE THE FUNDING OF MEDICAL
RESEARCH OVER A PERIOD OF 5 YEARS!
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Science and Citizenship Making the case for
strong NIH funding
Dr Robert Wells led a group of Nobel Laureates to
meet with Vice President Dick Cheney.
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501 (c) TAX EXEMPT ORGANIZAGION
NON-PROFIT FOR ADVOCACY
PRESIDENT JOHN J. WHITEHEAD CHAIRMAN OF THE
BQARD WILLIAM R. Brinkley, Ph.D. Senior
Advisors The Honorable Mark O.Hatfield The
Honorable Connie Mack The Honorable Bob
Michel The Honorable John E. Porter The Honorable
Paul G. Rogers The Honorable Louis W. Sullivan
Exec. Dictor Kevin S. Mathis Director Special
Projects Michael H. Campbell
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FIVE-YEAR CAMPAIGN TO DOUBLE THE NIH BUDGET
1998-3003
FASEB, 1999, Mike Stevens
THE WAY THE CAMPAIGN LOOKED AT THE END OF THE
20TH CENTURY
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27.2 Billion
SUCCESS CAMPAIGN AS IT LOOKED 2004!
13.6 Billion
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A RECOMMENDATION THAT DID NOT FLY!
SCIENCE VOL 296 24 May 2002
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Korn et al, 2002What could happen in
post-doubling years if annual increases were
2.2 or less
The NIH Appropriations
From Korn, D et al (2002) Science 2961401-1402
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FY 2007 budget for NIH would result in a 1
cutthe first in 30 years.
Number of new and competing research
project grants.
NIH FUNDED 640 FEWER GRANTS IN 2005
Year
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HOW THE FEDS DE-DOUBLED THE BUDGET
NIH Contraction
NIH Funding (1983 2008)
NIH doubling
27.1B
1.98X
Projected (_at_ 8.5 p.a.)
13.7B
Federal NIH funding level (B)
Actual
8.5 CAGR
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WITHOUT RESEARCH, THERE IS NO HOPE! The
Honorable Paul R. Rogers, Mr. Health, Former
Member, U.S. House of Representatives, Champion
of HMR.