Oklahoma football fans may be interested to learn that, according to a report issued on May 23, the National Football League attempted to influence a study that was being conducted on a link between football and brain injuries. The NFL had reportedly agreed to provide a $30 million donation to the NIH for the study but backed out after it was learned that a $16 million grant was given to a leading expert on football and brain disease.
The NIH gave the grant to a Boston University researcher who was instrumental in bringing the link between football and brain damage to the forefront. However, the NIH has a policy that prohibits the donors to influence who receives the grants. The researchers are chosen through a peer review process instead.
The NFL has been accused of ignoring or minimizing the link between head trauma that has been experiencedby some of its players and brain damage. Retracting the donation was seen as a way to steer funding away from a researcher who has been a major critic of the the organization. The league had reportedly sent an email stating that it had concerns regarding Boston University’s ability to conduct an unbiased study.
Brain injuries can of course be incurred in settings other than contact sports, but the results can be just as devastating. Medical expenses can pile up, and in some cases a victim may never be able to return to gainful employment because of the impairment. If the injury has been caused by another party’s negligence, such as a drunk or distracted motorist, an attorney can help a victim seek compensation for the losses that have resulted from the accident.