Winning Over Public Opinion

Tom Gallagher, Ph.D., National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services

The bio-medical community generally agrees that more high-containment laboratories are necessary to meet current bio-medical research needs. Within the United States all of the BSL-4's currently in operation could fit comfortable within an area about 1/3 the size of a football field. The BSL-3's at most major bio-research facilities are currently operating at capacity with important protocols queued up and waiting. There is clearly a need for more research and more laboratories in this, the golden age of biological inquiry. Each answer we acquire seems to raise a legion of new questions. Each insight shows us how much more we need to see. Each day underscores our need to do more. Within this context, we can find the best architects and engineers to build the best laboratories to house the most important bio-medical research; but we can't build the laboratories until we firmly establish public trust and build public confidence.

Objectives:

Perception is reality, and different people perceive different things in different ways. This session will outline and discuss proven methods of creating shared perceptions and establishing public trust and support for new high-containment laboratories.

Labs21 Connection:

Attendees will be walked through a series of successful strategies and shown a few hind-sight glimmers of unsuccessful methods.

Biography:

Dr. Tom Gallagher was named Director of the NIH Office of Community Liaison in July, 2002. Prior to coming to NIH, Dr. Gallagher served in Washington, DC as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget, Technology and Finance at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Gallagher holds a B.A. degree in literature, an M.A. in mass communication and journalism, and a Ph.D. in research psychology. Dr. Gallagher has also served as Dean of Learning Design and Development at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College and as the COE of Western Wisconsin Technical College. From 1988 to 1996 Dr. Gallagher and his family resided in Asuncion, Paraguay where he owned and operated a nationwide network of clinics. Dr. Gallagher has also held management positions with The University of Missouri-Kansas City, Nike, Inc., AT&T, and the State of Wisconsin.