Almost a decade ago, Michael Todd and I wrote an editorial for Anesthesiology suggesting that without research our specialty would fossilize and become extinct.1 I continue to believe that advancing the science, including basic discovery, translational work, clinical trials and implementation science remain critical to ensure that our specialty will survive and thrive. While publications and presentations in scientific circles are important, I believe that advocacy for science in the public sphere to our elected officials as well as meeting with leaders of funding agencies, and understanding their priorities is also critical. In the context of the Perioperative Brain Health Initiative, I and other members of the executive committee have taken this approach which will be outlined in this article.
While the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is one of the few agencies uniformly supported by both parties of Congress, there is always a threat to their funding. Appropriation...
