The National Academies

Declining survey response -- what we know and don’t know about it, and the costs and benefits of methods to improve response -- is a topic of critical interest to the statistical and research communities. Listen to a public seminar where panelists will discuss and accept questions on the future of social science data collection.

The United States is now in a better position than at any time in the past to maintain a safe and effective nuclear weapons stockpile without testing and to monitor clandestine nuclear testing abroad, says a new report from the National Research Council. The report, requested by the Office of the Vice President and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, reviews and updates a 2002 study that examined the technical concerns raised about the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). The report does not take a position on whether the U.S. should ratify the treaty.

The National Institutes of Health should allow the use of chimpanzees as subjects in biomedical and behavioral research only under stringent conditions, including the absence of any other suitable model and inability to ethically perform the research on people, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. The report's recommendations answer the need for a uniform set of criteria for assessing the scientific necessity of chimpanzees in biomedical, comparative genomics, and behavioral research.

To protect Americans from potential medical errors associated with the use of information technology in patient care, a new report by the Institute of Medicine calls for greater oversight by the public and private sectors. The report examines a broad range of health information technologies, including electronic health records, secure patient portals, and health information exchanges, but not software for medical devices.

Federal agencies should develop a new nutrition rating system with symbols to display on the front of food and beverage packaging that graphically convey calorie counts by serving size and a "point" value showing whether the saturated and trans fats, sodium, and added sugars in the products are below threshold levels, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. This new system would enable shoppers to quickly recognize and compare the healthfulness of products as they shop, the report says. It should apply to all foods and beverages and replace other symbols currently being used on package fronts.

A new Institute of Medicine report provides the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with a set of criteria and methods to develop a package of essential health benefits that will cover many health care needs, promote medically effective services, and be affordable to purchasers. The package will establish the minimum benefits that certain health insurance plans must cover under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The National Research Council released today the third edition of the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence, developed to guide judges as they encounter scientific evidence at trials. Produced in collaboration with the Federal Judicial Center, the manual includes new chapters on areas such as neuroscience, mental health, and forensic science.

Few health problems are caused by or clearly associated with vaccines, concludes a new Institute of Medicine report. It identifies adverse effects that specific vaccines can trigger in some people as well as health problems that research shows are not caused by immunizations.

Audio webcast of the opening session of the symposium "The Case for International Scientific Data Sharing: A Focus on Developing Countries," which is exploring current policies on sharing scientific data in developing countries, as well as ways to improve data access and use. The symposium was held jointly by the National Research Council and the International Council for Science.

A new report from the National Research Council offers a framework for evaluating the effects of a 2007 reform law on the District of Columbia’s public schools, along with first impressions of reform efforts so far. The report was discussed by the study committee at a public briefing on March 6.