Weekly Advocacy News Roundup

Report Urges Trump, Clinton To Make Room for Science in the White House

September 14, 2016 | Science Insider

A new report discusses how the next U.S. president should manage the national’s science portfolio. Of note, the report suggests that the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the position of the president’s science adviser should be retained.

• Read science-based questions submitted to both major party candidates by AAAS and other organizations at ScienceDebate.org.

Senate Funding Bill Slips Into Next Week

September 15, 2016 | The Hill

After initial reports suggested that the Senate would have a short-term spending bill this week, work on the measure has slipped into next week with the first procedural vote now scheduled for Monday. Congress needs to pass a short-term spending bill by September 30 in order to prevent a government shutdown; the continuing resolution would keep spending at current levels likely through December 2016.

• Contact your legislator today to tell them how devastating a CR is for biomedical research funding.

A Shady Market in Scientific Papers Mars Iran’s Rise in Science

September 14, 2016 | Science Insider

Iran’s parliament is set to work on a bill that would outlaw “shady” scientific publishing practices, including the sale of thesis chapters and publications. These practices have increased in the country and are technically legal, but scientists and lawmakers want to outlaw them to help preserve the scientific reputation of the country.

• Find information about global advocacy programs at SfN.org.

House Republicans Target NIH, not NFL, Over Brain Research

September 15, 2016 | Washington Examiner

Leaders in the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee called for a federal watchdog to examine NIH’s role in controversy surrounding NIH grants for brain research, in which some say the NFL attempted to influence which groups received these grants. House Democrats on the committee previously stated that NIH followed the appropriate science and grant review process, but the Republican report questions that assumption.

• Join the Advocacy Network to stay informed about issues related to neuroscience research at SfN.org.

Prehistoric Skull Surgery Could Help Prevent Half of Brain Injury Deaths, Study Suggests

September 8, 2016 | Telegraph

According to a new study, one of the oldest surgical procedures, craniectomy, could prevent half of deaths from traumatic brain injury. The technique involves removing part of the skull in order to relieve swelling in the brain, which can restrict blood supply and lead to death.

• Read about traumatic brain injury at BrainFacts.org.

NFL To Launch New $100 Million Concussion Initiatives To Improve Player Safety

September 14, 2016 | The Washington Post

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the launch of a new set of concussion-related initiatives including funding for technology to improve helmets for players and funding medical research into the effects of head injuries. The announcement comes as the NFL remains under scrutiny for its handling of head injuries, and Goodell states that the NFL intends to do a better job at communicating its concussion-related efforts going forward.

• Read articles about concussions and the injured brain on BrainFacts.org.

What Happens in the Brain When We Misremember

September 9, 2016 | Scientific American

Memories are frequently unreliable, and scientists are trying to understand what happens in the brain when a person misremembers using a task where participants viewed word lists that included a lure word for a false memory. Scientists looked at brain scans for overlap of average response to list words and response to the lure word and found patterns of overlapping brain activity predicted accurate or false memory.

• Learn more about memory on BrainFacts.org.

Is Animal Research Ever Ethical?

September 12, 2016 | The New York Times

In response to the article Regretting My Research, Mar Sanchez, chair of SfN’s Committee on Animals in Research, discusses the important advances made possible by the use of nonhuman primates in biomedical research. She also discusses how nonhuman primates make up a very small percentage of animals used in research and the many regulations that apply to this research.

• Read frequently asked questions about the use of animals in research at SfN.org.

Primate Research is Crucial if we are To Find Cures for Diseases Like Parkinson’s

September 13, 2016 | The Guardian

On behalf of over 400 signatories, including the Society for Neuroscience, this letter voices the importance of nonhuman primate research in medical advances, including finding cures for neurodegenerative diseases. The letter also emphasizes that both basic and applied research are necessary for these medical advances to be possible.

• Find animal research resources at SfN.org.

Illusory Fears Must Not Stifle Chimeara Research  

September 13, 2016 | Nature News

As NIH moves to allow human-chimeara research using animals that contain human cells, it is important that scientists continue to make the case for why it’s important and try to understand why opponents do not want this line of research to proceed. Scientists will need to help quell public alarm and discuss the great biomedical potential and the regulatory oversight.

• Read about animal research issues at SfN.org.