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U.S. NAS and NAM Presidents Issue Statement on the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing

We thank the organizing committee of the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing, held this week in Hong Kong, for planning an important and timely conference on a rapidly advancing area of science and medicine.




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Independent Reviews, Environmental Assessments Needed to Build Trust and Inform DOE NNSA’s Plans if it Proceeds with the Dilution and Disposal Process of Surplus Plutonium

If the dilute and dispose approach for disposing of the surplus plutonium in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is fully implemented, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) should use two independent review teams to develop public trust in and improve its decisions, says a new interim report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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New Cryptography Must Be Developed and Deployed Now, Even Though A Quantum Computer That Could Compromise Today’s Cryptography Is Likely At Least A Decade Away, Says New Report

Given the current state of quantum computing and the significant challenges that still need to be overcome, it is highly unlikely that a quantum computer that can compromise public-key cryptography – a basis for the security of most of today’s computers and networks – will be built within the next decade, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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National Academies Keck Futures Initiative Publishes Program Summary Sharing Lessons from 15 Years of Igniting Innovation at the Intersections of Disciplines

The National Academies Keck Futures Initiative (NAKFI) is pleased to announce the publication of Collaborations of Consequence - NAKFI’s 15 Years of Igniting Innovation at the Intersections of Disciplines.




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Biotechnology Holds Promise for Protecting Forest Health, But Investments in Research Are Needed, Along With Public Dialogue

Biotechnology has the potential to be a part of the solution in protecting forest trees against destructive pest and disease outbreaks




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Current Evidence Supports Classification of Red Wolf as a Distinct Species, Report Says, Mexican Gray Wolf Is a Valid Subspecies of Gray Wolf

Current evidence supports the classification of the contemporary red wolf as a distinct species of wolf, although additional genomic evidence from historic wolf specimens could change that assessment, says Evaluating the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red Wolf, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Dispersants Can Be an Effective Tool for Managing Impacts During a Major Marine Oil Spill, Report Concludes

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examines the effects and efficacy of using dispersants in marine oil spill response.




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VA’s Process for Determining Traumatic Brain Injury in Veterans Seeking Disability Compensation Examined in New Report

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) should expand the requirement in its disability compensation process regarding who can diagnose traumatic brain injury (TBI) to include any health care professional with pertinent and ongoing brain injury training and experience, says a new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Assessment of Work-Related Functional Abilities Is Important In Disability Determination

Assessments of a person’s ability to function at work provide important information for disability determinations, and many validated tests are available to assess work-related physical and mental functions.




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New International Commission Launched on Clinical Use of Heritable Human Genome Editing

An international commission has been convened by the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Society of the U.K., with the participation of science and medical academies around the world, to develop a framework for scientists, clinicians, and regulatory authorities to consider when assessing potential clinical applications of human germline genome editing.




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New Report Calls for a National System to Measure Equity in Education, Identify Disparities in Outcomes and Opportunity

A centralized, consistently reported system of indicators of educational equity is needed to bring attention to disparities in the U.S. education system, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Interview - John L. Anderson Discusses His New Role as the National Academy of Engineerings President

When John L. Anderson, president emeritus and distinguished professor of chemical engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology, was first elected to the National Academy of Engineering almost 30 years ago, he remembers being deeply honored and excited about how the recognition would help his career.




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Stronger Policies Needed to Protect the Public From Legionnaires’ Disease

The U.S. needs stronger policies and guidance to combat Legionnaires’ disease, a form of pneumonia caused by inhaling air contaminated with Legionella bacteria from water systems, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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International Commission on Heritable Genome Editing Holds First Public Meeting

Last week, the International Commission on the Clinical Use of Human Germline Genome Editing held its first public meeting at the National Academy of Sciences building in Washington, D.C.




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Statement on British Medical Journal Article

The U.S. National Academies recognize the significance of the opioid crisis and have been at the forefront of efforts to advise our nation on how to combat it.




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International Commission on Clinical Use of Heritable Human Genome Editing Issues Call for Evidence

The International Commission on the Clinical Use of Human Germline Genome Editing is tasked with identifying the scientific, medical, and ethical requirements to consider when assessing potential clinical applications of human germline genome editing — if society concludes that heritable human genome editing applications are acceptable.




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Twenty Scientists Awarded 2019 Early Career Research Fellowships by National Academies Gulf Research Program

The Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced today the recipients of its 2019 Early-Career Research Fellowships.




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Exploring the Complications of Counting Casualties After Natural Disasters

A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine study that is now underway aims to identify best practices for collecting, recording, and reporting death and illness data during and immediately after large-scale weather disasters.




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Daniel Weinberger Receives National Academy of Medicines Sarnat Award for His Pioneering Research on Developmental Origins of Schizophrenia

The National Academy of Medicine today announced Daniel Weinberger is the recipient of the 2019 Rhoda and Bernard Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health, for his fundamental role in elucidating the biological origins and genetic expressions of schizophrenia, and for transforming how clinicians, researchers, and the public understand mental illness.




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Addressing Patients’ Social Needs Within Health Care Delivery Is Key to Improving Health Outcomes and Reducing Health Disparities, New Report Says

Whether a patient has a safe place to live or healthy food to eat has an important influence on their health, but such nonmedical social needs have not traditionally been addressed in routine health care visits.




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Summer Offers Opportunities for Social and Academic Growth, But Can Also Put Disadvantaged Children at Risk

Summer is a chance for children and youth to continue developing, but for those living in disadvantaged communities, summertime experiences can lead to worse health, social, emotional, academic, and safety outcomes, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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To Ensure High-Quality Patient Care, the Health Care System Must Address Clinician Burnout Tied to Work and Learning Environments, Administrative Requirements

Between one-third and one-half of U.S. clinicians experience burnout and addressing the epidemic requires systemic changes by health care organizations, educational institutions, and all levels of government, says a new report from the National Academy of Medicine.




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Juvenile Justice – Moving From Punishment to Hope and Healing

Every year in the United States, nearly 250,000 youths are tried, sentenced, or incarcerated as adults.




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At-Home DNA Tests Still Need the ‘Human Touch,’ Say Panelists at Genomics Roundtable Workshop

When Sara Altschule took a 23andMe ancestry test, the results confirmed what she already suspected - She is 77 percent Ashkenazi Jewish.




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International Collaboration, Cross-Disciplinary Workforce Development and Education Needed for U.S. to Maintain Leadership in Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Science

The federal government should foster collaboration and decrease obstacles that can keep foreign atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physicists from working in the United States, if the nation is to maintain its position as leader in these fields, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Report Offers Promising Approaches to Make HHS Adolescent Health Programs More Effective

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) should focus funding on holistic, evidence-based, population-wide adolescent health programs that consider adolescent risk-taking as normative, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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U.S. Bioeconomy Is Strong, But Faces Challenges - Expanded Efforts in Coordination, Talent, Security, and Fundamental Research Are Needed

The U.S. is a clear leader in the global bioeconomy landscape, but faces challenges from decentralized leadership, inadequate talent development, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, stagnant investment in fundamental research, and international competition, according to Safeguarding the Bioeconomy, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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To Improve Food and Drug Safety, Regulatory Agencies Should Adopt Risk-Based Decision-Making, Says New Report

The goal of achieving universal health coverage by 2030 — one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals — necessitates that countries strengthen their food and drug regulatory systems as a whole, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Policy, Financing, Stigma, and Workforce Barriers Stand in the Way of Addressing Co-Occurring Opioid and Infectious Disease Epidemics

The opioid epidemic in the U.S. is driving a simultaneous epidemic of infectious diseases — including HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and bacterial infections, and sexually transmitted infections — but workforce shortages, stigma, and financial and policy barriers are preventing the integration of opioid use disorder (OUD) and infectious disease services, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Leading Voices Discuss the Future of U.S. Science Policy at Feb. 26 Symposium - Event Marks 75th Anniversary of Vannevar Bushs 1945 Report Science - The Endless Frontier

The National Academy of Sciences, in partnership with The Kavli Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, will host a symposium to consider the future of science in the U.S. and how it can best serve society in the 21st century.




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No Hospital, Birth Center, or Home Birth Is Risk-Free — But Better Access to Care, Quality of Care, and Care System Integration Can Improve Safety for Women and Infants During Birth, Says Report

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine finds that there is no risk-free setting for giving birth, whether at home, in a birth center, or in a hospital.




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Envisioning the Future of Science

Feb. 26 Symposium Will Explore How Scientific Research Should Evolve in Coming Decades




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At Hanford, Experts and Community Members Weigh In on Nuclear Waste Disposal

In 1943, the town of Hanford in Washington State was selected by the Manhattan Project to be home to the first full-scale plutonium production reactor in the world.




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Determining Whether There Is a Link Between Antimalarial Drugs and Persistent Health Effects Requires More Rigorous Studies

Although the immediate side effects of antimalarial drugs are widely recognized, few studies were designed specifically to examine health problems that might occur or persist months or years after people stopped taking them.




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Health Care System Underused in Addressing Social Isolation, Loneliness Among Seniors, Says New Report

Seniors who are experiencing social isolation or loneliness may face a higher risk of mortality, heart disease, and depression, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Despite the profound health consequences — and the associated costs — the health care system remains an underused partner in preventing, identifying, and intervening for social isolation and loneliness among adults over age 50.




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White House Requests National Academies Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats in Response to Spread of Coronavirus

WASHINGTON — In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to establish a Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats.




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New Fronts in the War on Misinformation

National Academies host three events to explore ways to expand the reach of accurate science and health information online




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Jaw Disorders Are Common, But Care Is Fragmented and Evidence-Based Approaches Are Needed, Says New Report

Although less invasive and more evidence-based approaches are available for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) – a set of 30 disorders that cause pain or malfunction in the jaw joint and muscles of the jaw – some dentists continue to rely on aggressive or costly procedures as a first-line treatment, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Food and Nutrition Board Marks 80 Years of Advising the Nation

Symposium participants examine what climate change, obesity, and personalized medicine mean for nutrition in the future




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Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases Provides Rapid Response to Government on Key Coronavirus Questions

Formed earlier this month, the National Academies’ Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats was assembled at the request of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.




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Letter from the NAS, NAE, and NAM Presidents Regarding COVID-19 Crisis to House and Senate Leadership

The National Academies stand ready to convene America’s best minds in research, government, medicine, and private industry to marshal evidence-based insights and advice for confronting today’s pandemic and future crises.




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Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases Provides Rapid Response to Government on Crisis Standards of Care for Coronavirus Pandemic

The recently formed National Academies Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats, assembled at the request of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, has been providing rapid expert consultations on several topics, such as social distancing and severe illness in young adults.




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Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases Provides Rapid Response to Government on Whether COVID-19 Could Also Be Spread by Conversation

The recently formed National Academies Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats, assembled at the request of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, has been providing rapid expert consultations on several topics, such as social distancing and severe illness in young adults.




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Exploring the Science of Social Distancing and What it Means for Everyday Life

As the coronavirus outbreak has spread throughout the United States, social distancing measures have taken many forms — such as business and school closures, cancelled events, and everyone being urged to keep six feet apart.




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Potential Effects of Seasonal and Temperature Changes on Spread of COVID-19 Examined in New Rapid Response to Government from Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases

A new rapid expert consultation from a standing committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine responds to questions from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) regarding survival of the COVID-19 virus in relation to temperature and humidity and potential for seasonal reduction and resurgence of cases.




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Spread of COVID 19 Virus from Infected Patients Antibody Response, and Interpretation of Laboratory Testing Examined in New Rapid Responses to Government from Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases

A new rapid expert consultation from a standing committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Effectiveness of Homemade Fabric Masks to Protect Others from Spread of COVID-19 Examined in New Rapid Response to Government from Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases

A new rapid expert consultation from a standing committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine responds to questions from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) regarding the effectiveness of homemade fabric masks to protect others from the viral spread of COVID-19 from potentially contagious asymptomatic or presymptomatic individuals.




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DOD Biological Threat Reduction Program Should Be Part of a New Interagency Mechanism to Coordinate Efforts to Prevent Biological Threats, Including Natural Disease Outbreaks - Report Offers Five-Year Strategy for BTRP

Over the next five years, the U.S. Department of Defense’s Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP) should encourage and be among co-leaders in the federal government’s development of an enduring interagency mechanism to address an array of biological threats – including natural disease outbreaks, accidental releases, and intentional attacks -- to deployed U.S. forces and to the nation itself, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine




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Lessons From A Crisis

On the 10th Anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion, Marcia McNutt Reflects on How Science Helped Solve the Crisis, and Its Lessons for the COVID-19 Pandemic




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NAS Annual Meeting - Experts Discuss COVID-19 Pandemic and Science’s Response

Anthony Fauci and other panelists explored the status of the pandemic, research underway, and the key role of vaccines in bringing the pandemic to an end.