Slides for Research!America Members’ Use

Talking About Advocacy for Research

Research!America Goals

• Ensure that the public hears about research and its benefits

• Achieve more funding for medical and health research

• Advocate a policy climate that stimulates rather than impedes research

• Empower others to advocate for medical and health research

Research!America: 21 Years of Putting Research on the Public Agenda• Non-profit alliance representing more

than 125 million Americans, with member organizations drawn from academia, business, patient organizations and scientific societies

• Distinguished, all-volunteer board includes former elected and appointed officials, media and public relations leaders, and leaders from Research!America member organizations

Research!America’s Mission

Make research to improve health a higher

national priority

Economic Impact Messages

• Research creates jobs• Research fuels local & regional

economies• Research helps control health care costs • Research drives innovation and

productivity• Research can contribute to growth and

savings in all types of businesses

Then, Now, Imagine: Prematurity

THEN… deaths of newborns from respiratory distress syndrome totaled more than 10,000 a year in the 1950s.

NOW…with the discovery and development of artificial lung surfactant, deaths of premature newborns from RDS decreased to fewer than 1,000 in 2002.

IMAGINE…preventing all premature births.

Then, Now, Imagine: Oral Health

THEN…At the beginning of the 20th century, extensive dental caries were common in the United States. No effective prevention measures existed, and the most frequent treatment was tooth extraction.NOW…Over the past 60+ years, the damage caused by tooth decay has been drastically reduced, primarily through the use of fluoride delivered through public water systems that began in 1945.IMAGINE… Expanding fluoridation to all Americans on public water systems to save $1.5 billion each year by preventing tooth decay and loss.

Research Takes Cents

• Americans spend more than $11 billion on bottled water each year.

• That amount would fund the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention core programs for nearly two years!

Sources: Beverage Marketing Corp.; CDC FY09

Research Takes Cents

• Traffic congestion costs the U.S. economy $78 billion each year.

• That amount would the National Institutes of Health for nearly three years!

Sources: Texas Transportation Institute’s 2007 Urban Mobility Report; NIH FY09

Research Takes Cents

• U.S. box office receipts were $9.6 billion in 2008.

• That could fund the National Science Foundation for a year and a half!

Sources: Box Office Mojo; National Science Foundation, FY08

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