~ Abraham Lincoln Sixteenth President of the United States of America

Public Opinion and Presidential Politics: Why They Matter to Biomedical

Research in 2007 and Beyond

Mary WoolleyPresident

Research!America

January 13, 2007

Association of Medical & Graduate Departments of Biochemistry Chairs Annual Meeting

Nassau, Bahamas

“…public sentiment is

everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail;

without it nothing can succeed."

~ Abraham LincolnSixteenth President of the United States of America

65% 63%69%77%78%81%83%83%83%

Education Creatingmore jobs

Research tofind curesfor and topreventdisease

Reducing theU.S. budget

deficit

Protectingnatural

resourcesand the

environment

Homelandsecurity

War onterrorism

Tax cuts Science andengineering

research

Please tell me if you would be more likely or less likely to vote for a candidate for a public office if he or she supported increased funding for the following?

(% saying “More Likely”)

Likeliness to Vote for Candidate

Source: Your Candidates—Your Health Survey, 2006Charlton Research Company for Research!America

DemocratsDemocratsSenator Joe Biden (DE)Senator Joe Biden (DE)

Senator Hillary Clinton (NY)Senator Hillary Clinton (NY)Retired General Wesley ClarkRetired General Wesley Clark

Senator Chris Dodd (CT)Senator Chris Dodd (CT)John Edwards, former Senator (NC)John Edwards, former Senator (NC)

Al Gore, former VP, Senator (TN)Al Gore, former VP, Senator (TN)Senator John Kerry (MA)Senator John Kerry (MA)

Senator Barack Obama (IL)Senator Barack Obama (IL)Governor Bill Richardson (NM)Governor Bill Richardson (NM)

Governor Tom Vilsack (IA)Governor Tom Vilsack (IA)

RepublicansRepublicansSenator Sam Brownback (KS)Senator Sam Brownback (KS)

Newt Gingrich, former House Speaker (GA)Newt Gingrich, former House Speaker (GA)Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor (NYC)Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor (NYC)

Senator Chuck Hagel (NE)Senator Chuck Hagel (NE)Governor Mike Huckabee (AR)Governor Mike Huckabee (AR)

Representative Duncan Hunter (CA)Representative Duncan Hunter (CA)Senator John McCain (AZ)Senator John McCain (AZ)

George Pataki, former Governor (NY)George Pataki, former Governor (NY)Mitt Romney, former Governor (MA)Mitt Romney, former Governor (MA)Representative Tom Tancredo (CO)Representative Tom Tancredo (CO)

Tommy Thompson, former GovernorTommy Thompson, former Governorand DHHS (WI)and DHHS (WI)

POTENTIAL POTENTIAL 2008 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES2008 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

(to date)(to date)

The 109th Congress deferred passage of the FY2007 appropriations bills that fund the NIH, CDC, AHRQ and

NSF.

Prior to adjourning, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) that funds these agencies through February

15, 2007.

Incoming chairs of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, announced in early December that they will

seek to pass a long-term CR to fund all 2007 appropriations through the end of the fiscal year, except

Defense and Homeland Security.

Current Status of FundingCurrent Status of Funding

New Face of the 110th Congress

* awaiting final confirmation

• Your right as a citizen

• Tool to turn the spotlight on your issues

• Adding your voice to the public agenda

Advocacy Is Democracy Advocacy Is Democracy in Actionin Action

What Can You Do?

• Know the position of your elected officials’

• Use public opinion poll data to make the case for research as a high priority

• Build and support “Research Champions”

• Understand the importance and influence of media

• Master communicating in three sentences or less

• Use messages that work

• Put a human face on research – Yours!

488 of 1,266 candidates in the general election responded – 488 of 1,266 candidates in the general election responded – a response rate of 38.5%a response rate of 38.5%

24 of the 65 freshmen members of Congress responded – 24 of the 65 freshmen members of Congress responded – a response rate of 37% a response rate of 37%

Taking Our Pulse: The PARADE/Research!America Health Poll Charlton Research Company, 2004

Remember What Researchers and Elected Officials Have in

Common …

Serving the public's interest

“Constituents” by the NumbersFlorida

• 96,200 of your constituents were newly diagnosed with cancer*

• 100,000 of your constituents are living with HIV†

*American Cancer Society (2005) Cancer Facts & Figures

† Florida Department of Health, 2003

“[Scientists] want to come to Congress and give tutorials. That

doesn’t work. We don’t have time for tutorials. They need to get right to the point: ‘This is

why it’s important. I know there are a lot of competing interests, but here’s why we should be at the head of the line. And here’s

what it means for society.’ ”

~ Hon. Sherwood Boehlert “Explaining Science to Power: Make It Simple,

Make It Pay” November 24, 2006, Science Magazine

Show How Research is Important to Elected Officials

• We have made enormous progress to date and there are more benefits to come(Then, now, imagine)

• Saving lives

• Saving money

• Creating jobs

• Contributing to local economy

• Ensuring U.S. leadership

• Constituents support research

Understand Public Attitudes;

Demonstrate Public Support

Research!America Polls

Commissioning public opinion polls on research issues for more than 15 years

•National Polls

•State-Based Polls

•Issue-Specific Polls

Survey Methodology

Telephone (random-digit dialing) polls are conducted with a sample size of 800-1000 adults (age 18+) and a maximum theoretical sampling error of +/- 3.5 percent. Data are demographically representative of adult U.S. residents (state or national).

Figures for age, sex, race, education, and income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with population demographics.

Americans Rank Scientist as Most Prestigious Occupation

I am going to read off a number of different occupations. For each, would you tell me if you feel it is an occupation of very great prestige, considerable prestige, some prestige or

hardly any prestige at all? {percent saying “very great prestige”}

10%

12%

16%

31%

54%

58%

60%Scientist

Physician

Fireman

Member of Congress

Journalist

Entertainer

Stockbroker

Source: Bridging the Sciences Survey, December 2006Charlton Research Company for Research!America

Confidence in US InstitutionsHow much confidence do you have in the following institutions in this country?

{% responding great deal}

Military 61%

Medical Community 47%

Scientific Community 44%

Organized Religion 30%

Corporations 10%

Congress 12%

Media 10%


Scientists Public Most Familiar WithCan you give me the name of a living scientist?

First Mentions

Steven Hawkings 8%

Albert Einstein 1

Bill Gates 1

Jarvik 1

Francis Collins *

Linus Pauling *

James Watson *

Christian Bernard *

Francis Crick *

Richard Dawkins *

Other 13

None/Nothing 55

Don’t Know/Don’t Remember 19


Public Doesn’t Know Where Research is Conducted

Source: Research!America Polls 1998-2004Charlton Research Company for Research!America

Do you know of any institutions, companies, or organizations in your area where medical research is conducted? (percentage saying “don’t know”)

Alabama 37%

California 53%

Colorado 56%

Florida 58%

Illinois 50%

Massachusetts 40%

Mississippi 59%

New Hampshire 62%

Oklahoma 57%

Texas 57%

Most Do Not Recognize NIH

73%

4%

5%

8%

10%

National Institutes ofHealth

Food and DrugAdministration

Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention

Other

Don't know

What is the name of the government agency that funds most of the medical research paid for by taxpayers in this country?

Source: National Survey, 2005 Charlton Research Company for Research!America

U.S. Should Be Global Leader in Scientific Research

1%1%

1%

76%21%

Very

Somewhat

Not too

Not at all

Don't know

How important do you think it is that the U.S. is a global leader in scientific research?


U.S. Competitive Edge in Innovation

65%

30%

5%

Strongly/somewhatagree

Strongly/somewhatdisagree

Don't know

Do you agree or disagree with this statement: The U.S. is losing its global competitive edge in innovation.


Strong Support for Basic Research

69%

27%4%

Strongly/somewhatagree

Strongly/somewhatdisagree

Don't know

Even if it brings no immediate benefits, basic research which advances the frontiers of knowledge is necessary and should be supported by the federal government.


41%

55%4%Increase funding

Current funding sufficient

Don't know

Americans Want Increased Funding The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the agency that funds most of the medical

research paid for by U.S. taxpayers. Which of the following statements comes closer to your opinion about U.S. investment in medical and health research at the NIH?

Some people say: Current U.S. funding for medical and health research is sufficient and other budget items are higher priorities now.

Other people say: Increasing U.S. funding for medical and health research now is essential to our future health and economic prosperity.


Americans Willing to Pay More for Medical Research

Source: National Survey, 2006 Charlton Research Company for Research!America

Would you be willing to pay $1 per week more in taxes if you were certain that all the money would be spent for additional medical research, or not?

63%

34%

3% Yes

No

Don't know

Americans Favor Embryonic Stem Cell Research (ESCR)

9%

21%

20%

40%

10%

Strongly favor

Somewhat favor

Somewhat oppose

Strongly oppose

Don't know

Do you favor or oppose medical research using embryonic stem cells?

60%

31%


Majority of Americans Favor Federal Funding for ESCR

38%

56%

6%Favor

Oppose

Don't know

Do you favor or oppose federal funding for medical research using embryonic stem cells?


July 10, 2005

•Aspirational messages (Then…Aspirational messages (Then…Now…Imagine)Now…Imagine)

•Economic impact messagesEconomic impact messages

•Cost savings messagesCost savings messages

Messages That WorkMessages That Work

Alzheimer’sAlzheimer’s• ThenThen …… Progressive problems with Progressive problems with

memory, language and behavior were memory, language and behavior were considered an inevitable part of aging.considered an inevitable part of aging.

• Now … Now … Basic research is fueling the Basic research is fueling the creation of new drugs for Alzheimer’s creation of new drugs for Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment.prevention and treatment.

• Imagine … Imagine … Alzheimer’s could be just a Alzheimer’s could be just a memorymemory

•Golf equipment sales in the U.S. rose 9% to $3.5 billion in 2005.

•That amount would fund the National Institute of General Medical Sciences for almost 2 years!

Sources: “The Sporting Goods Market in 2006,” National Sporting Goods Association and NIH

“Research Takes Cents”

• A 30 second ad run during the 2006 Super Bowl costs $2.5 million!

• The average cost of an NIH Traditional Research Project (R01) Award is $309 thousand.

Sources: The New York Times 1/9/06; NIH 2001.

“Research Takes Cents”

Combining Aspirational and Economic Messages:Combining Aspirational and Economic Messages:One-page fact sheetsOne-page fact sheets

Cost Saving Messages:• Treatments that delay the onset and progression of

Alzheimer’s disease by five years could save $50 billion a year in health care costs.

• NIH-funded researchers have developed treatments that delay or prevent diabetic retinopathy, saving the U.S. $1.6 billion a year.

• At least 60% of the U.S. population on public water systems has received fluoridated water since 1990, translating to savings in dental treatment costs of over $25.7 billion in the past decade

• Policymakers respond to media

• Constituents learn from the media

• Media attention can create public pressure

The Influence of the Media

“You need to make me care and understand it, in such a way that I can explain it in 35 seconds…

“And please remember that I struggled with high-school chemistry.”

Peter HaskellGeneral Assignment ReporterWCBS Radio, New York CityUMDNJ Media Science Forum

Understand the Media World

http://www.metodistalibre.cl/imagenes/microphone.jpg

What Do Researchers and the Media Have in Common?

Serving the public's interest…

“What you understand well can be communicated well. It's a matter of not just discipline but obligation to the public for scientists to communicate both the excitement of science, the prospects of science and the accomplishments of science.”

~Elias A. Zerhouni, MDDirector, National Institutes of Health

• Our research is concerned with how the human body controls blood pressure, which is important in heart disease and health.

• We know that a small molecule called nitric oxide plays a

key role in controlling blood pressure – impaired production of nitric oxide causes high blood pressure while excessive production of nitric oxide causes low blood pressure.

• We are exploring how levels of nitric oxide, and hence blood pressure, can be controlled for the effective treatment or prevention of high blood pressure.

Three Sentences or Less

“I work for you.”

• Make it impossible to ignore research

• Make it impossible to say:

-“I’ve never heard of NIH…

-“I can’t name a research institution…

-“I can’t name a researcher”

• Help others imagineimagine making better health and quality of life possible through research AND

THEN TAKE ACTION THEMSELVES!

What Can You Do?

“That’s what advocacy for research is all about—many

people who care about research making their convictions clear to

their elected officials. It starts with you, who are most committed to research…

Investment in research hangs in the balance, but you can change the image of things to come.”

~ Hon. John Edward Porter "Light at the End of the Tunnel,"

program of the 2006 Lasker Awards.

Road to the White House 2008

Make Sure Research is Make Sure Research is Prominently Featured on theProminently Featured on the

Please visit us at www.researchamerica.org

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~ Abraham Lincoln Sixteenth President of the United States of America

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