Dear Member of Parliament, This afternoon the Health and Social Care Bill will recieve its Second Reading in the House of Commons. The legislation sets out a far-reaching programme for reforming the NHS and the provision of patient care. The Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) and its 127 member charities believe that high quality … Continue reading Second Reading of the Health and Social Care Bill: An open letter to MPs
Author: simondenegri
Uniting fact and fiction in the name of science
A colleague in the office sent me this rather good blog on New Philanthropy Capital. In it, Angela Kail talks about, or rather asks the question, why charities generally don't do more to promote the real evidence of their effectiveness rather than rely - or allow others to rely on - anecdotes. My belief is that research … Continue reading Uniting fact and fiction in the name of science
Health and social care reforms on trial
What better starting point for today's blog than the comments of two leading clinicians speaking about the importance of clinical trials to patient outcomes. First, Dr Duncan Wheatley, a Clinical Oncologist and Lead for Research in the South West Peninsula, who is quoted in a BBC Cornwall story today about medical research at the Royal … Continue reading Health and social care reforms on trial
More on NHS Bill
'Onmedica' are running a good round-up of comments on the Health and Social Care Bill.
Making the EU work better for research charities
On the face of it you might think this a very Friday afternoon sort of article. But, as a discussion of how European foundations operate in a research funding context, it is is extremely interesting. The news peg for it is that plans are afoot by the European Commission to present a regulation for a European Foundation … Continue reading Making the EU work better for research charities
Health and Social Care Bill Published
After days of incessant pounding by critics and opponents the Government brushed itself down today and published its Health and Social Care Bill. The text of the legislation can be found on the parliament website. It is a titanic Bill - 353 pages, 137 clauses, 22 schedules long - and the vagaries of our parliamentary … Continue reading Health and Social Care Bill Published
Looking for a bit of drama in your life?
Probably not, I know, particularly if you are Andrew Lansley I suspect. But this is good drama and good for your health. I am delighted that AMRC is going to be part of the following, exciting initiative in public engagement. Read on for the news release (apologies, I know that is a bit lazy of me) … Continue reading Looking for a bit of drama in your life?
Getting touchy over the information revolution
Over the holidays I caught a BBC Radio 4 item about the days of the touch typist. It was one of those gems of broadcasting which looked through a narrow lens to tell the listener much about how the world has changed. It also brought back many memories of my time as a messenger at the old … Continue reading Getting touchy over the information revolution
Rawlins Review: Academy lays down law on health research regulation
Over the weekend Professor Colin Blakemore said he hoped the Academy of Medical Sciences would come up with radical proposals to end the regulatory mess that holds up UK health research such as clinical trials. I am not sure whether he will feel today's report by the Academy lives up to that aspiration, but I do … Continue reading Rawlins Review: Academy lays down law on health research regulation
The Wellcome Trust is 75 this year
The Wellcome Trust this year celebrates its 75th birthday since being founded by Sir Henry Wellcome in 1936. The Observer's Robin McKie profiles the Trust in today's Observer. Wellcome was also a founding member of AMRC way back in 1972 I might add.
Regulating research – Blakemore/Deer comment pieces + AMRC background
Ahead of next week's Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) much anticipated report on medical research regulation I see The Times and Sunday Times (both paywall) have published pieces this weekend by scientist Professor Colin Blakemore and journalist Brian Deer respectively, offering different perspectives on the issue of regulation. If you are looking for further background on … Continue reading Regulating research – Blakemore/Deer comment pieces + AMRC background
The 2011 medical research charity in-flight dashboard
Let me be the last to convey my New Year message to the nation! During my period of annual leave - which is still ongoing I might add but I care about you all that much - I have been thinking about how AMRC's member charities are faring and feeling as we begin 2011. Mis-spent days … Continue reading The 2011 medical research charity in-flight dashboard
More NHS patients participating in UK clinical trials than ever before
A piece of good news with which to begin the New Year. PharmaTimes is reporting that the number of patients participating in clinical trials jumped by 67% last year to over half a million (compared to over 300,000 in 2009). The new CEO of the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network Co-ordinating Centre (NIHR … Continue reading More NHS patients participating in UK clinical trials than ever before
Science, charity New Year Honours and some perspective on the MRC in 2011
Research Fortnight have posted a blog I wrote prior to Christmas in which I gave my 'glass half-full' take on what the science budget allocations mean for the Medical Research Council (MRC). Elsewhere..in today's New Year Honours, congratulations go to Adrian Smith, DG Knowledge and Innovation at the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, who has been … Continue reading Science, charity New Year Honours and some perspective on the MRC in 2011
It's time to seek out the real citizens in science
Alice Bell has written a good piece today with her reflections on this week's Science and Citizenship conference. Its worth a read and has certainly given me something to ponder over the Christmas holidays. Alice finishes her piece by saying that the public engagement 'industry' - if I can call it that - needs to take a … Continue reading It's time to seek out the real citizens in science
Science budget: where will the money go?
If you are looking for the detail of today's announcement by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on the science budget allocations for the spending review period then please look at the excellent summary by our policy and public affairs manager, Becky Purvis, here. Further perspective from me in due course. But, given … Continue reading Science budget: where will the money go?
What do patients want from health research regulation?
In a blog 'exclusive' - albeit more by technical chance than design - I am today sharing with you the independent report of the AMRC/INVOLVE patient workshop on health research regulation that took part in early November. We were invited to undertake this important piece of work by the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) as … Continue reading What do patients want from health research regulation?
The legacy of medical research
...and another thing. Two weeks ago I blogged about the CAF/NCVO UK Giving report which showed that medical research topped the causes to which the British public gave money. Well, today, the results of an AA/Populus poll of its 18,000 members have been published showing that of those people planning to leave a legacy to charity, … Continue reading The legacy of medical research
UKCMRI Gets Go-ahead…and news on CST
Those who visit this blog regularly will know that we've been following progress with the plans to build the UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation in London ever since our first post. So, in what feels like an early Christmas present for science, it is good to be able to report that yesterday Camden Town Hall … Continue reading UKCMRI Gets Go-ahead…and news on CST
Times Letter on Charity Research Support Fund (CRSF)
A brief but important mention of the letter in today's Times signed by over 100 cancer scientists and doctors. The letter cites Breast Cancer Campaign (an AMRC member) and highlights the importance of the Government-backed Charity Research Support Fund (CRSF) to the funding of research in universities by medical research charities. If you want a succinct but well-articulated case for … Continue reading Times Letter on Charity Research Support Fund (CRSF)
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