NFL pledges more than $17M to concussion funding
The National Football League (NFL) has announced it is reallocating more than $17 million to fund concussion- and brain-related research. The funds will go to the Department of Defense, the Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury (TRACK-TBI) study and the National Institute on Aging.
This funding is part of the original $30 million promised by the NFL to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health over a five-year agreement.
“These research initiatives represent important scientific projects, with proven track records of achievement that affect public health,” the NFL said in a published statement. “Each of these research programs receives substantial federal funding. Through this commitment, the League hopes to advance the understanding of concussion and other brain injuries, especially among athletes and veterans.”
The Department of Defense’s Concussion Assessment Research and Education monitors all athletes for concussion injuries and has collected information on more than 2,000 concussions from athletes and cadets to better understand the effects of concussions on the population. The TRACK-TBI study, with 2,300 enrollees, collects detailed information on patients with head injuries and resulting outcomes. Information collected from the study is meant to continue research efforts in neuroscience.
The funds allocated to the National Institute of Aging will support research relating to dementia and cognitive function.
As a senior news writer for TriMed, Subrata covers cardiology, clinical innovation and healthcare business. She has a master’s degree in communication management and 12 years of experience in journalism and public relations.