January 15, 2015 (Vol. 35, No. 2)
URL:
http://www.unitedformedicalresearch.com
Rating:
Strong Points: Good amount of information
Weak Points: None
Summary:
The funding of biomedical research is crucial for any society and the health of its populace. A coalition of twenty leading U.S. research institutions, industries, and medical/patient advocacy groups is seeking—through a campaign named United for Medical Research—increased funding for the National Institutes of Health to support biomedical research. The United for Medical Research website provides information about these efforts, including an embedded Twitter feed for the group, the latest news, and advocacy reports. An especially informative and powerful feature of the website is an interactive map that allows visitors to explore the state-level impact of NIH funds (on metrics like dollars awarded and jobs supported) on a state-by-state basis. The website also includes a number of other resources, such as reports on the effects of funding sequestration, that really drive home the point that funding biomedical research needs to be a priority.