Neuropsychiatric disorders constitute the single greatest source of the global burden
of disease, but it seems that philanthropy and advocacy aimed at supporting research
to alleviate the burden of these disorders often are overshadowed by corresponding
efforts in many other areas of medicine. For example, the United States public donates
five times more money to cancer than to mental health research (
1
), and for the United Kingdom public, the equivalent figure is a staggering 900 times
more (
2
). In this context, it is particularly sobering that we recently lost two towering
mental health advocates and philanthropists, Constance E. Lieber and Theodore R. Stanley
(Figures 1 and 2). These two individuals made an enormous and enduring impact through the initiatives
that they created and sustained, through their personal contributions, and through
their ability to mobilize others. For the editors, editorial board members, and editorial
committee members of Biological Psychiatry who constitute the authors of this commentary, the losses are personal. Each of us
has received research support made possible through the actions of these unique individuals.
In acknowledging our gratitude, we hope that our collective efforts to advance the
understanding of mental illness and its treatment are a lasting testament to their
impact.MQ Landscape Analysis (2015): UK Mental Health Research Funding. Available at: http://b.3cdn.net/joinmq/1f731755e4183d5337_apm6b0gll.pdf. Accessed June 17, 2016.
Figure 1Constance Lieber.
Figure 2Ted and Vada Stanley.
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Biological PsychiatryAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Medical research: If depression were cancer.Nature. 2014; 515: 182-184
MQ Landscape Analysis (2015): UK Mental Health Research Funding. Available at: http://b.3cdn.net/joinmq/1f731755e4183d5337_apm6b0gll.pdf. Accessed June 17, 2016.
Article Info
Publication History
Accepted:
May 9,
2016
Received in revised form:
May 9,
2016
Received:
May 6,
2016
Identification
Copyright
© Published by Society of Biological Psychiatry on behalf of Society of Biological Psychiatry
