Research Policy & Advocacy

Endocrine researchers study complex biological systems and hormonal pathways that affect all parts of the human body with implications for numerous diseases and conditions.  The Endocrine Society works with the federal government, research funding agencies, and regulatory bodies to advance progress in biomedical research and the ensure that the latest findings from endocrine scientists are incorporated into research strategic plans.

Position Statements

At the Endocrine Society, we are concerned about a number of critical policy issues. Our goals are to ensure that the full body of research available is available to policy makers and to affect positive change by advocating for increased research and updated regulatory processes. To learn and read about all of our position statements, please visit our page here. 

• Biomedical Research Funding | July 2018
• Stem Cell Research | January 2018
• Central Institutional Review Boards | April 2016
• Clinical Trial Registries | June 2006 

Progress and New National Institutes of Health Policies

• Single IRB Policy for Multi-site Research
• Consideration of Sex as a Biological Variable in NIH-funded Research
• Physician Scientist Workforce Report
• Biomedical Research Workforce
• Endocrine Society Discusses Research Priorities with NIDDK | September 2018
  Endocrine Society president-elect Dale Abel, MD, PhD, and secretary-treasurer Richard Legro, MD, met with the director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), to discuss emerging research priorities in endocrine science and opportunities to improve outcomes for trainees in endocrine research programs.
• NIH Clarifies Instructions to Grantees on Incorporating Sex as a Biological Variable | January 2016
  The NIH responds to requests from the Endocrine Society to develop policies that require investigators to account for sex as a fundamental biological variable in NIH-supported preclinical research.
• Society Stresses Sex Inclusion in Biomedical Research to Congress | August 2015
  The Endocrine Society and the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) co-sponsored a briefing entitled, “Maximizing the Benefits of Biomedical Research: A Tale of Mice and WoMen, Why We Need to Balance the Study of Males and Females.” The briefing was designed to educate members of Congress and their staff about the need to include both sexes in all phases of biomedical research and support legislative language to help NIH implement new policies to promote sex inclusion in preclinical research.
• Draft NIH Policy Promotes Use of Single IRB for Multi-Site Studies | January 2015
  The NIH announced a draft policy for the “Use of a Single Institutional Review Board (IRB) for Multi-Site Research” which establishes the expectation that multi-site NIH-funded domestic studies will make use of a single IRB of record, rather than multiple local IRBs.
• The Society Supports NIH’s Workforce Diversity Effort | September 2012
  The Endocrine Society contributed to an NIH initiative to increase support for underrepresented minorities in the biomedical research workforce.

Resources

Health Disparities in Endocrine Disorder: Biological, Clinical, and Nonclinical Factors 

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)

FASEB—Science Policy & Research Issues

Policy Communications

In advocating for research we send a variety of policy communication including advocacy letters, both our own and as part of coalitions. We also provide testimony and friend of the court briefs. All of these communications can be found on our News & Advocacy page or below.