Healthy Skepticism Library item: 6620

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Baird PA.
Funding medical and health-related research in the public interest.
CMAJ 1996 Aug 1; 155:(3):299-301
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=8705910

Abstract:

Public funding for medical and health-related research in Canada is declining. At the same time, the pharmaceutical industry is directing increasing amounts of money to publicly funded agencies such as universities and the Medical
Research Council of Canada. However, the kinds of research most valuable to commercial firms may not be those most valuable to the Canadian public. There is a danger that research priorities and activities in public institutions
may become skewed as a result of increased drug-industry funding. Mechanisms need to be found to ensure an appropriate balance between the research that is most valuable to the public interest and to the long-term
advancement of knowledge, and the research that is likely to lead to marketable products. One such mechanism is the direction of a proportion of the money from drug companies to a “no-strings-attached” fund specifically to support types of research that are in the public interest but not likely to lead to marketable products.

Keywords:
*analysis/Canada/ drug company sponsored research/research priorities/SPONSORSHIP: RESEARCH Biomedical Research* Canada Drug Industry/organization & administration* Financing, Government/organization & administration* Health Priorities Humans Marketing of Health Services Patient Advocacy Public Health* Research Support/organization & administration* Social Justice