Policy for physiology

Health of Physiology

The Society has conducted an investigation into the health of the discipline of physiology. This covers the research being conducted, the education of new physiologists, the landscape of legislation in which physiology exists, and what efforts must be made to safeguard the future of the discipline. The report detailing this work was released at Physiology 2016 on 30th July. For more details and to download the report, click here.

Animal research

The fundamental research carried out by the our Members of The Physiological Society, that which underpins many biological and clinical sciences, often requires the experimental use of animals. The Society supports both the essential use of animals in research and increased openness over such use. Visit our animals in research page for statements covering The Society's views and recommendations on this topic, as well as relevant policy activities. Should you require more detail, please consult our long-form statement which includes statistics on animal use and recommendations for Society Members in dealing with this issue.

Data Acquisition and Publication

Research depends on data: its accurate collection, detailed analysis, and effective publication. The Society has produced an exploration of issues surrounding data in modern science, and released a set of recommendations in our position statement. This covers training researchers in effective experimental design and practice to ensure the best data; publishing requirements to effectively and accurately present data; and suggestions to those going on to use the data, including policymakers. These principles apply widely beyond the discipline of physiology, so if you find them useful we encourage you to share the position statement.

Stress in Modern Britain

As part of our Making Sense of Stress theme year, we conducted a survey in partnership with YouGov about stress in modern Britain. The survey revealed differences in the reported stress levels of men and women, as well as the impact of modern stressful situations like losing a mobile phone. Read more about the survey and the physiology of stress, and download the whole report from our stress report page. 

Physiology – Current Trends and Future Challenges

The Society, with the International Union of Physiological Sciences, has released a report into the global strength of physiology research and teaching, coinciding with the IUPS 38th Congress. The report makes recommendations for physiological societies to improve their collaboration to drive forward development of the discipline. For more details, and to read the report and IUPS companion essays, click here.