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New Report Provides Guidance on How to Improve Learning Outcomes in STEM for English Learners

A shift is needed in how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects are taught to students in grades K-12 who are learning English, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Statement from the Organizing Committee on Reported Human Embryo Genome Editing

On the eve of the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing, we were informed of the birth of twins in China whose embryonic genomes had been edited.




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Statement by the Organizing Committee of the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing

In December 2015, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and U.S. National Academy of Medicine, the Royal Society of the United Kingdom, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences hosted an international summit in Washington, D.C., to discuss scientific, ethical, and governance issues associated with human genome editing.




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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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Call for Nominations for 2019 Communication Awards

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are now accepting nominations for the 2019 Communication Awards to recognize excellence in reporting and communicating science, engineering, and medicine to the public during 2018.




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National Academies’ Climate Communications Initiative Releases Strategic Plan

The National Academies established the Climate Communications Initiative (CCI) last year to enable their extensive work on climate science, impacts, and response options to inform decision-makers and the public more effectively.




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New Decadal Survey for the Social and Behavioral Sciences Presents Guidance to the Intelligence Community

The social and behavioral sciences (SBS) offer an essential contribution to the mission of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), a mission that requires an understanding of what human beings do, how, and why, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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New Report Identifies Ways Communities Can More Effectively Measure Progress Toward Resilience

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends steps U.S. communities can take to better measure their progress in building resilience to disasters, including measuring resilience around multiple dimensions of a community, and incentivizing the measurement of resilience.




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New Report Examines Reproducibility and Replicability in Science, Recommends Ways to Improve Transparency and Rigor in Research

While computational reproducibility in scientific research is generally expected when the original data and code are available, lack of ability to replicate a previous study -- or obtain consistent results looking at the same scientific question but with different data -- is more nuanced and occasionally can aid in the process of scientific discovery, says a new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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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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NAS and NAM Presidents Give Commencement Addresses

NAS President Marcia McNutt delivered the commencement address to Boston University graduates on May 19, where she discussed trust in science and evidence, and the importance of making informed decisions.




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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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Study Committee Members Brief Congress on Election Security

As jurisdictions around the nation explore how to shore up their voting systems against vulnerabilities revealed by the 2016 election, Congress held a hearing yesterday to learn more about cyberthreats and options for thwarting them.




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Paid Parental Leave, Increased Support for Caregivers, Improved Food and Economic Security Among Recommendations in New Report on Achieving Health Equity for All Children

The lack of supportive policies for families in the United States, such as paid parental leave, has serious implications for health equity, as it affects families’ overall health and financial stability, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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National Academies Review of Report on Supplemental Low-Activity Waste at Hanford Nuclear Site Now Available for Public Comment

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine – which reviews a separate report by a federally funded laboratory that examines options for treating low-activity radioactive waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation -- is available for public comment until Oct. 31.




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2019 Communication Award Winners Announced

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced today the recipients of the 2019 Communication Awards. Supported by the W.M. Keck Foundation since 2003 as part of the Keck Futures Initiative, these prestigious awards in four categories -- each of which includes a $20,000 prize -- recognize excellence in reporting and communicating science, engineering, and medicine to the general public.




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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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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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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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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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National Academies’ Gulf Research Program Awards $10.7 Million in Grants to Four Gulf Coast Community Resilience Projects

The Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced $10.7 million in grant awards for four new projects focused on enhancing community resilience in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico region.




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New Report Offers Framework for Developing Evidence-Based Opioid Prescribing Guidelines for Common Medical Conditions, Surgical Procedures

For severe acute pain due to surgeries and medical conditions, there is a lack of guidance on the appropriate type, strength, and amount of opioid medication that clinicians should prescribe to patients, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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New Report Recommends Ways to Strengthen the Resilience of Supply Chains After Hurricanes, Based on Lessons Learned From Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends ways to make supply chains -- the systems that provide populations with critical goods and services, such as food and water, gasoline, and pharmaceuticals and medical supplies – more resilient in the face of hurricanes and other disasters, drawing upon lessons learned from the 2017 hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.




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PEPFAR’s Investments in Rwanda Helped Boost Health Workforce, But Future Programs Should More Comprehensively Support Long-Term Capacity

Rwanda’s Human Resources for Health (HRH) Program – funded in part by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) from 2012 to 2017 – more than tripled the country’s physician specialist workforce and produced major increases in the numbers and qualifications of nurses and midwives, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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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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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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National Academies Completes Review of National Toxicology Program’s Draft Monograph on Fluoride and Neurodevelopmental and Cognitive Effects

Today the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released its review of the National Toxicology Program’s (NTP) draft monograph Systematic Review of Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopmental and Cognitive Health Effects.




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Harvey Fineberg Named Chair of Standing Committee Requested by White House in Response to Coronavirus

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced today that Harvey Fineberg, former president of the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine) and current president of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, will serve as the chair of the Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats.




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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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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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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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One Year After Release, National Academies Report Guides Lawmakers and Communities Looking to Cut Child Poverty

More than 9.6 million children — or 13 percent of all children in the U.S. — live in families with annual incomes below the poverty line, according to data from 2015. As closures and restrictions related to COVID-19 begin to impact the U.S. economy, it’s clear many more families will be receiving fewer paychecks and less income in the coming months, putting more children at risk of falling below the poverty line.




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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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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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Mobilizing the Academic Research Community in the Fight Against COVID-19

At colleges and universities around the nation, scientists and graduate students are seeking out ways to bring their knowledge, skills, and resources to bear in the struggle against COVID-19.




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There Is a Lack of Evidence, Transparency About Ingredients to Support Use of Compounded Topical Pain Creams, Says New Report

While compounded topical pain creams have become an increasingly popular alternative to oral pain medications and opioids, there is a lack of scientific evidence to support their safety or effectiveness, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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As Commercial Districts Come Back to Life, Water Stagnation Will Pose Health Risks

After several months sitting empty and quiet, commercial districts are coming back to life as businesses and offices are being given permission to reopen. When the lights come on and doors are unlocked, will the water that comes out of the tap be safe?




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Winners Selected for the 2019-2020 TRB Airport Cooperative Research Program University Design Competition for Addressing Airport Needs

The Transportation Research Board’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) has selected winners for its annual University Design Competition for Addressing Airport Needs.




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Prescribers Should Restrict the Use of Non-FDA-Approved Compounded Bioidentical Hormones, Except for Specific Medical Circumstances

The use of compounded bioidentical hormone therapies (cBHTs) — an increasingly popular approach to relieve symptoms of menopause and male hypogonadism — should be limited to the small number of patients who cannot benefit from an FDA-approved hormone therapy product, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Existing Feeding Recommendations for Birth to 24 Months Often Consistent - Opportunities Exist to Harmonize Guidance

Guidelines about feeding children under the age of 2 are generally consistent, but there are some inconsistencies, such as the minimum recommended age to which breastfeeding should be continued, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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COVID-19 and Black Communities

Black Americans are getting sick and dying from COVID-19 at higher rates than white Americans — the most recent manifestation of racial disparities in health that have long been evident in the United States.




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New Report Recommends National Framework to Strengthen Evidence on Effective Responses to Public Health Emergencies, Says Current Evidence Base Is Deficient

Research and funding priorities tend to shift from one disaster to the next, which has resulted in a sparse evidence base and hampers the nation’s ability to respond to public health emergencies in the most effective way, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Staffing Considerations for Crisis Standards of Care Outlined in New Rapid Response to Government from National Academies Standing Committee

A new rapid expert consultation from a standing committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine outlines considerations for clinical staffing needs during the implementation of Crisis Standards of Care (CSC), including adjusting staff responsibilities, providing “hazard pay” to staff, ensuring adequate time off, offering child care and other benefits, and leveraging health care coalitions to ensure appropriate transfer of patients between hospitals.




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How Can Hospitals Overcome Staffing and Supply Shortages Amid COVID-19 Surges?

Six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitals are still faced with staffing shortages due to the sheer volume of patients, staff illnesses, and non-COVID care that cannot be delayed.




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National Academies to Seek Public Comment, Hold Listening Session on Draft Framework for Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine – Week of Aug. 31

A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee tasked with developing an overarching framework to assist policymakers in planning for equitable allocation of a vaccine against COVID-19 will issue a discussion draft of the preliminary framework for public comment on Sept. 1.




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Decoding the Unspoken Ways We Communicate

Ehsan Hoque, a National Academy of Medicine Emerging Leader, harnesses nonverbal cues to improve health and human connection




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National Academies Release Draft Framework for Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine, Seek Public Comment

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today released for public comment a discussion draft of a preliminary framework to assist policymakers in planning for equitable allocation of a vaccine against COVID-19.