01 october 2010, No. 965
CONTENTS
UK SCIENCE POLICY
EMPLOYMENT
FUNDING
COMMERCIAL
HEALTH POLICY
RESEARCH ETHICS
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN SCIENCE
AFRICA
ASIA
AUSTRALASIA
EUROPE
EUROPEAN UNION
NORTH AMERICA
SOUTH AMERICA
INTERNATIONAL
UK SCIENCE POLICY
1 Scientists quit Britain in new brain drain
Scientists concerned about future funding levels in the face of expected cuts to government budgets are looking abroad for better opportunities. With countries such as Singapore, France and Germany offering not just higher salaries but also better facilities and infrastructure, university heads are increasingly worried about their ability to attract and retain the best scientists.
Guardian LANK 1 October 2010 p.1, 14-15
See also: Daily Telegraph 1 October 2010 p.2
Independent 25 September 2010 p.6
Daily Telegraph 25 September 2010 p.10
2 Mass rally over 'destructive' cuts
In anticipation of expected cuts to the science budget, the newly-formed Science is Vital group, is arranging a public rally by scientists in London on 9 October. A mass lobby of MPs is to follow three days later.
THE 1967 30 September 2010 p.13
3 Defend the quangos
An editorial raises concern about the coalition Governments 'haphazard' approach to shutting down quangos. While some may be costly and unnecessary, others such as the Food Standards Agency and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority were set up to serve specific important purposes. The author calls on concerned scientists who value the input of certain quangos to campaign for their retention.
Nature 467 30 September 2010 p.500
See also: BMJ 341 2 October 2010 p.693
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4 Sisters' winning formula
A feature article examines the possible reasons behind the fact that there are significantly fewer women than men in senior academic posts - particularly in science - and why women tend to produce fewer research papers than their male counterparts. The author also offers advice to women academics on how they can raise their research productivity and profile.
THE 1967 30 September 2010 p.34-39, 5
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5 Grant award? It could be you
With competition for Research Council funding becoming increasingly competitive, an academic has proposed that a lottery system would be the fairest means of deciding between applicants who have reached a basic standard of "fundability".
THE 1967 30 September 2010 p.7
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6 Litigious generic drugs groups risking income
Industry commentators have expressed concern over the future of the US generic drugs industry. The increasing number of legal challenges to patents being made by generic companies is leading pharmaceutical companies to reduce development of chemical-based drugs and shift to complex biologicals - thus risking "the lifeblood of the generic industry".
Financial Times LANK 1 October 2010 p.25
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7 Cancer patients win drug aid
From 1 October, the Government will allow cancer patients to access a £50 million fund to obtain drugs which had previously been ruled out of NHS use by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
Financial Times LANK 1 October 2010 p.4
8 Overhaul of drug prices planned
As part of a speech on the coalition Government's healthcare agenda, the health secretary, Andrew Lansley has announced his intention to develop a system of drug pricing which will encourage innovation in the pharmaceutical sector, while ensuring that drugs will be priced according to the benefit accrued by patients.
Financial Times LANK 30 September 2010 p.4
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9 Sabotage!
The case of Vipul Bhrigu, charged with malicious destruction of a colleague's experiments at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, has highlighted the existence of misconduct in research and the lack of governance structure in place to handle such offences. While the case was an extreme example of an attempt to derail another scientist's work, other forms of 'sabotage' such as malicious peer reviews and false references may be more frequent and more difficult to uncover.
Nature 467 30 September 2010 p.516-518
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10 A better class of heckle
A comment piece discusses the increase in 'science comedy', especially within the UK, over the last decade. Encouraged by the growth of science and arts festivals a wide range of diverse routines have emerged from stand-up comedy to musical acts, with the format seen as being an effective way to engage the public in science and make it more accessible.
Nature 467 30 September 2010 p.530
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11 Theft and corruption take malaria drugs away from Africa's poorest
An article reports on a Channel 4 investigation into corruption in Uganda which is preventing anti-malarial drugs from reaching the poorest and most-in-need sections of the population. President Yoweri Museveni has established an investigative unit which has already arrested more than 100 people, including government health workers and officials, for selling the drugs on the black market.
Independent LANK 1 October 2010 p.30
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12 India's vision: from scientific pipsqueak to powerhouse
The Indian Government has released a vision document entitled 'India as a Global Leader in Science', which sets out a strategy for strengthening the country's international scientific competitiveness. Key elements include a drive to raise patenting activity and to boost scientific training.
Science 330 1 October 2010 p.23
13 Rival teams identify a virus behind deaths in central China
Chinese researchers have identified a new kind of bunyavirus as the causative agent behind the outbreaks of a mysterious and often fatal fever which has affected hundreds of people in central China over recent years. A dispute has broken out between two rival groups as to who should take the credit for the discovery.
Science 330 1 October 2010 p.20-21
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14 Dawning of a new era
An article discusses the controversy surrounding the development of Australia's new research assessment programme: the Excellence in Research for Australia (Era) project. The intention behind the exercise is to provide a "streamlined and indicator-based" approach, but academics are particularly unhappy about the use of journal rankings to assess the quality of research.
THE 1967 30 September 2010 p.20
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15 The future of Russian science
An editorial by two Russian scientists argues that the Russian Academy of Sciences, which has been subject to severe criticism over recent years, is key to their government's plans to boost science and innovation and needs to be resourced sufficiently.
Science 330 1 October 2010 p.11
16 R&D, innovation and education survive Spain's 'austerity' budget
Spain is to announce severe cuts in government spending shortly, with ministries looking at an average 16 per cent reduction in budget. R&D, innovation and education, however, are set to avoid the worst of the cuts with a budget level "very close to a freeze".
Research Europe 306 30 September 2010 p.5
See also: Nature 467 30 September 2010 p.504
17 Germany rising
An editorial discusses how in the twenty years since reunification Germany has managed to get itself on track to become a world leader in science once again. Improvements have been attributed to strong government support and funding, administrative efficiency, encouragement of female and foreign scientists, and intelligent use of external funding mechanisms such as the EU's research programmes.
Nature 467 30 September 2010 p.499-500
18 Nestlé research
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology is to be the base for a new Institute of Health Sciences, funded with US$507 million over ten years from the food company Nestlé as part of their expansion into medical nutrition.
Nature 467 30 September 2010 p.505
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19 COST to separate from European Science Foundation
Ángeles Rodríguez-Peña, president of Europe's science networking organisation COST, has announced that the organisation is to formally separate from the European Science Foundation ahead of the Framework 8 programme. The move - part of a revamp of the 40-year old organisation - follows the conclusions of COST's ministerial summit in June, and recommendations from the Framework 7 mid-term review.
Research Europe 306 30 September 2010 p.4
20 "There will be more evolution" at ERC
Following his resignation from the post of secretary general of the European Research Council (ERC), Andreu Mas-Colell gives an interview on his thoughts for the future of the organisation. He believes that the current configuration of the ERC requires more change and warns that if the ERC does not receive an increase in funding for the next Framework Programme, it could lose its momentum and impact, with negative implications for basic research in Europe.
Research Europe 306 30 September 2010 p.6
21 New rules will allow EU patients to report drug concerns directly
New pharmacovigilance legislation recently announced by the European Parliament will give patients more information about drugs and allow them to report adverse reactions directly to the authorities. The legislation will be implemented by establishing national web portals which will provide information on medicinal products, their side effects and how to report adverse reactions.
BMJ 341 2 October 2010 p.689
See also: Research Europe 306 30 September 2010 p.3
22 Commission wants more socially responsible medicines industry
Speaking at a ministerial conference on medicines research, marketing and evaluation, Antonio Tajani, the industry commissioner, announced a two-year initiative to improve transparency and ethics in Europe's pharmaceutical industry.
Research Europe 306 30 September 2010 p.3
23 EMF directive still poses a risk to MRI research in Europe
The European Science Foundation has published a position paper highlighting continued concerns about the threat to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) posed by the European Physical Agents (electromagnetic fields) Directive. Although recent discussions with the European Commission have been positive, time is running out to amend the Directive by 2012.
The Lancet 376 2 October 2010 p.1124-1125
24 Maintaining the competence of Europe's workforce
An analysis article and accompanying editorial discuss the variation in professional development in the medical workforce across the EU. With increased movement of medical professionals and patients within the EU, the authors call for a more uniform approach to accreditation to ensure that a competent medical workforce is maintained.
BMJ 341 2 October 2010 p.706-708, 680-681
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25 Changing brains
Following the exit of two of the top scientists from the US administration, an editorial questions President Obama's decision to continue employing researchers in top policy positions in the White House. Some have claimed that even those with scientific backgrounds do not necessarily base their decisions on the best evidence available, and may not possess the right skills needed for effective policy making.
Research Europe 306 30 September 2010 p.2
26 Regathering storm
An update of the landmark 2005 US National Academies' report 'Rising above the gathering storm' has suggested that the US is falling behind other countries in science, despite increased spending in the sector.
Nature 467 30 September 2010 p.504
See also: Research Europe 306 30 September 2010 p.18
27 Senators launch bill in support of stem-cell research
Following the injunction and subsequent appeal from the Department of Justice regarding US government funding for embryonic stem cell research, three Democratic senators have introduced a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to explicitly allow the government to fund this area of research.
Research Europe 306 30 September 2010 p.18
28 Chimps' fate ignites debate
A decision by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) to return 186 chimpanzees to medical research after a ten-year break has amplified debate surrounding the use of primates for medical research. Opponents of the decision argue that the chimpanzees have already been used to an "extensive degree" and should not be moved.
Nature 467 30 September 2010 p.507-508
29 Academy rankings tell you a lot, but not who's no. 1 in any field
This week saw the long-awaited publication by the US National Academies' National Research Council (NRC) of an in-depth statistical analysis of the quality of the nation's doctoral programmes. The NRC has avoided using a single ranking score, instead providing a range of different variables which institutions can explore as they require, but some critics have voiced concerns about the methodology and age of the data used.
Science 330 1 October 2010 p.18-19
See also: Nature 467 30 September 2010 p.510
30 Children's study
The National Children's Study, a federally-backed project which aims to monitor the health of 100,000 individuals from birth to the age of 21, has been boosted with the announcement of 30 additional study locations to the seven currently established.
Nature 467 30 September 2010 p.505
31 Obama announces three science envoys
Three additional science envoys will travel to Africa, South and South-east Asia, and Central Asian/Caucasus regions, following President Obama's extension of his science diplomacy programme. The new posts will add to the three existing science envoys that have travelled to 11 countries since their appointment last November.
Research Europe 306 30 September 2010 p.18
32 Canada must free scientists to talk to journalists
An opinion piece discusses new evidence that the information policies of the Canadian Government are unnecessarily restricting the abilities of federal government researchers to publically discuss their work, resulting in limited dissemination of research findings and a lack of public confidence in government-funded science.
Nature 467 30 September 2010 p.501
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33 Science safe in Brazil elections
There are expectations that any successor to the current Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, following the elections of 3 October, will continue the strong support of science which the country has seen over the past decade. According to some commentators, Dilma Rousseff, the favourite to succeed Lula, may "be able to go further" in pursuing a strong science and technology agenda and Jose Serra, her closest rival has acted as a popular and effective health minister in the past.
Nature 467 30 September 2010 p.511-512
34 Taking on malaria in the Amazon
An article reports on a US$12.5 million project, funded by the US National Institutes of Health, which is attempting to combat malaria in South America. Although the disease is less severe across the continent than in Africa, there are different challenges, with an increasing spread of malarial mosquitoes, and most malaria cases in the Amazon region being caused by the less-researched Plasmodium vivax, as opposed to Plasmodium falciparum.
The Lancet 376 2 October 2010 p.1133-1134
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35 A third of those in need of antiretrovirals in poor countries can now get them
A report by WHO, UNAIDS and Unicef shows a 30 per cent increase in the number of people receiving antiretroviral treatment for HIV in low and middle income countries between December 2008 and the end of 2009. However, the agencies warn that while the use of antiretrovirals is increasing around the world, there are still over five million people with HIV who are not receiving treatment, with many unaware of their HIV status.
BMJ 341 2 October 2010 p.695
36 Expansion of cancer care and control in countries of low and middle income: a call to action
A health policy article examines the inequalities which exist in cancer care between high and lower income countries and suggests that cancer "remains sorely neglected" while international attention and resources are focused on infectious diseases such as AIDS.
The Lancet 376 2 October 2010 p.1186-1193
37 Hope in translation
An editorial discusses translational research and suggests that the gap between basic and clinical research is narrowing as communication and collaboration between laboratories and clinics increases and more 'high-risk, high-reward' research is funded.
Nature 467 30 September 2010 p.499
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