Translational research and public health

I'm impressed with these discussions and all the skills everyone has acquired and shared; very helpful. As you may know,The Massage Therapy Foundation is highlighting Massage Therapy (MT) in CIM Research at the Seattle Convention in May next year. They are especially interested in translational research and public health. From what I understand, translational research (in our industry) is about finding successful ways to get the public to use MT now that we can prove its effectiveness; from "bench to bedside", I believe is the expression they use. I'm also, coincidently, reading a book called "The Diffusion of Innovation" which addresses how long it takes for a new idea to be accepted by the public; for example it took several hundred years before citrus was accepted as a cure for scurvy, even though it had been evidence based for so long. In other words, this innovation (citrus) had to be sold and people had to buy it. This involves social considerations, like the prevailing culture and addressing the preceived needs of the public.

What do you think about translational research and public health?