America's Vanishing Scientific Research Workforce is a Threat to Public Health

As originally published by Applied Clinical Trials

‍By Inga Rose, CEO, Reference Medicine

Right now, America's scientific labs are facing a quiet but catastrophic crisis: a shrinking workforce that threatens to bring life-saving medical progress to a grinding halt. Behind every cancer breakthrough, every new vaccine, every treatment that gives patients another chance, there is a research lab. And right now, those labs are struggling to stay staffed.

We are on the cusp of extraordinary scientific advances. From personalized cancer therapies to CRISPR innovations, the lifesaving potential of biotech is staggering. But innovation needs people. And we're running out of them. This isn't just about job openings and unfilled roles, it's about the very foundation of scientific progress.

If we don't fix this workforce shortage now, we risk losing not just talent, but time. And in healthcare, lost time equals lost lives.