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Commentary

On Vaccines, Trump Should Rely on Science

Jan 25, 2017

Research has proven that vaccines are extremely safe and effective. The public health implications of questioning this are serious. America should take every opportunity to protect kids by vaccinating them against every vaccine-preventable disease.
Commentary

Europe's Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance

Nov 3, 2016

The EC's AMR Action Plan included measures to ensure antimicrobials are used more appropriately in both humans and animals and measures to stimulate R&D of new antibiotics. One area that was not sufficiently covered was the environment.

Explore Biology and Life Sciences

Report

Report

Evidence synthesis on measuring the distribution of benefits of research and innovation

There are numerous benefits from R&I that are not well captured by current economic approaches. Investing in evaluation and methodological development could help develop a more holistic perspective on the benefits of R&I in the UK.

Dec 14, 2018
Report

Report

Evidence synthesis on the conditions needed to translate research and drive innovation

A number of conditions, and their interaction, are essential to the translation and innovation process across sectors. Policy interventions can support innovation but evidence of their effectiveness is currently limited.

Dec 14, 2018
Report

Report

Enabling NHS staff to contribute to research: Reflecting on current practice and informing future opportunities

This report considers how NHS staff can effectively contribute to health research.

Dec 11, 2018
Report

Report

Impact of ammonia emissions from agriculture on biodiversity: An evidence synthesis

Ammonia emissions in the UK have been rising since 2013, with the main source being agriculture. The impacts on biodiversity are significant and together with the costs to human health could be equivalent to over £700m per year in the UK by 2020.

Sep 16, 2018
Report

Best Practices for Participant and Stakeholder Engagement in the All of Us Research Program

RAND researchers identified best practices for engaging participants in the All of Us Research Program, which collects long-term health data from 1 million U.S. adults. Engagement involves awareness, enrollment, and retention of program participants.

Aug 17, 2018
Report

Report

What do we know about grant peer review in the health sciences? An updated review of the literature and six case studies

In 2009, RAND Europe conducted a literature review to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of peer review for grant funding. This report updates that review and adds case studies exploring peer review practice at six international funders.

Jun 7, 2018
Journal Article

Journal Article

Genome-Wide Scan of Depressive Symptomatology in Two Representative Cohorts in the United States and the United Kingdom

This exploration of genomic associations with depression found no compelling evidence of a single genetic variant's significant role in depressive symptomatology.

Apr 17, 2018
Journal Article

Journal Article

Evaluation of the Impact of the European Union's Research Funding for Poverty-Related and Neglected Diseases: Lessons from EU Research Funding (1998-2013)

The overarching aim of this work is to evaluate the role of R&D on PRNDs in contributing to achieving UHC and improving population health in low- and middle-income countries.

Dec 15, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

Cleaning Up Medical Research

Book review of "Rigor Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope, and Wastes Billions" by Richard Harris.

Nov 10, 2017
Report

Report

The Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Healthcare programme: An evaluation of programme activities, outcomes and impacts

This study explores the contribution of the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Healthcare programme to innovation in the NHS (National Health Service). It was commissioned by the UK Department of Health Policy Research Programme.

Oct 30, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

Assessing and Communicating the Value of Biomedical Research: Results From a Pilot Study

The pilot demonstrated not only the usefulness of examining the impact of research from the perspectives of a range of stakeholders but also, notably, the extent and variety of the benefits that accrue from research.

Oct 27, 2017
Commentary

Can Open Science Help to Make Research More Accessible?

The leading principle of open science is that anyone, whether they are part of the research community or the public, should be able to access scientific knowledge. Free circulation of knowledge, the sharing of research results, and transparency of methodology are core tenets of the scientific method.

Oct 13, 2017
Commentary

An Uneven Future: An Ageing Population Needs Innovation, but Not at the Expense of Equal Care

Expected increases in life expectancy together with increasingly complex physical and mental illness will continue to exert huge pressures on health systems. How should the UK prepare for the challenges ahead?

Oct 5, 2017
News Release

News Release

Nation's Public Cord Blood Banks Provide Benefits, Despite Drop in Use

The nation's public umbilical cord blood banks provide benefits that far outweigh their costs and should continue to receive federal support, even though use of cord blood stem cells from the banks has been declining.

Sep 29, 2017
Report

Public Cord Blood Banks Provide Benefits Despite Drop in Use

U.S. umbilical cord blood banks provide benefits that far outweigh their costs. The national cord blood system should continue to receive federal support, even though use of cord blood stem cells from the banks has been declining.

Sep 29, 2017
Research Brief

Public Cord Blood Banks: Worthy of National Investment

RAND studied trends affecting public cord blood banks and considered changes to the program to buttress banks' financial stability. Researchers found a system worthy of investment, especially if it helps improve the quality of the national inventory.

Sep 29, 2017
Report

Report

Future of Health: Findings from a survey of stakeholders on the future of health and healthcare in England

The report presents findings from a survey conducted by RAND Europe at the request of the National Institute for Health Research to gather and synthesise stakeholder views on the future of health and healthcare in England in 20 to 30 years' time.

Sep 21, 2017
Report

Report

Developing standards to support the synthetic biology value chain

A study identifying the impact that adoption of synthetic biology is likely to have on the global marketplace as well as any existing barriers or obstacles preventing the rapid scale-up and commercialisation of the technology.

Sep 11, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

'Macro' Evaluation of the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre

The Office of Health Economics and RAND Europe were commissioned by the Oxford BRC to undertake a programme of top-down evaluations of aspects of the impact of the BRC. This programme of research has looked at the health, economic and scientific impact of Oxford BRC's research activity.

May 24, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

Economies of Scale and Scope in Publicly Funded Biomedical and Health Research: Evidence from the Literature

Publicly funded biomedical and health research is expected to achieve the best return possible for taxpayers and for society generally. It is therefore important to know whether such research is more productive if concentrated into a small number of 'research groups' or dispersed across many.

Mar 16, 2017

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RAND Topic:
Biology and Life Sciences

Topic Synonyms:
Human Biology;
Social Biology

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