Law & Order: Philadelphia

After an eternity of training, the Early Investigator Committee (EIC) has gained jurisdiction over a piece of NAA conference programming: the NAA Stanley Franklin Debate. After some debate (pun intended) within the EIC, we identified a revolutionary new format that we plan to trial (pun intended, again, because puns are “in” with the youth these days) in Philadelphia at the 2025 NAA Society meeting, From Fork to Flow: How Nutrition, Obesity, and Metabolism Shape Cardiovascular Health. 

Based on extensive experience gained by the EIC co-chairs, both of which were selected and served on juries in the past 3 months, we have designed a format that will flip the classic debate on its head. The debate will be a trial, with the prosecution (Dr. Wesley Lefferts and co-counsel Dr. Vienna Brunt) making the case that GLP-1 agonists improve cardiovascular health via vascular mechanisms, while the defense (Dr. William Hughes and co-counsel Dr. Matthew Armstrong) will attempt to rebut these claims.

Councils will present their cases through (i) presentation of exhibit evidence (physical or digital items [e.g., figures/graphs] presented in court to prove/disprove an argument), and (ii) direct and cross-examination of expert testimony. A number of expert witnesses from the audience will be served a court summons request earlier in the conference. Overseeing this entire process to ensure a fair and just trial, will be the illustrious, honorable Dr. Kevin Heffernan, with assistance from Bailiff Dr. Zach Clayton. The jury will include an odd number of trainees, randomly selected from the audience to sit at the forefront of the room. The jury of trainees will be tasked to listen to the evidence presented by the councils and upon conclusion of the testimonies, make a judgement as to whether they side with the prosecution or defenses case.

We hope to see you in the courtroom at the NAA Society’s 2025 conference!

Honorably,

Wesley Lefferts, PhD
Prosecution Counsel
EIC Co-Chair