Apparently in the US the Republicans are advocating that the general public be given the opportunity to comment on the usefulness or suitability of publicly funded research. While on the face of it this might not seem to be related to menstruation research, it allows targetted campaigns against controversial research, such as that related to sexuality, abortion, etc. Moreover, stigmatized areas of research, like those related to menstruation, may also trigger reactions from people who feel that this is not a suitable topic for study.
In any case, it’s worth double checking titles and lay abstracts with this potential scrutiny in mind.
As someone who is currently looking for external grant opportunities, this is definitely depressing! I was actually talking with someone yesterday about my difficulties in finding external funding options for social science research on menopause and they suggested that I find a more fundable topic….but that is not the answer! Argh….
Personally, I believe the time has come for the general public to be able to voice their opinion on how their money is spent. Valuable research is left undone in favor of research with little or no value. The menstrual cycle and it’s effect on medical therapies/treatments is but one example of an area that has been woefully lacking in the research department. Vaccine ingredient/adjuvant safety and interaction with the human body is another…the list goes on and on.