Universities and the money fix
Funding woes plague US biomedical researchers. But calls for more funding ignore the structural problems that push universities to produce too many scientists, argues Brian C. Martinson.
Federal funding for biomedical research is a substantial investment in the US science community. Earlier this year, representatives of several major research universities testified before Congress and issued a report arguing that the budget of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, is insufficient to sustain "a strong and vibrant program of basic research"1. They pointed to stifling of innovation and damage to the career prospects of young scientists, ultimately warning that there could be a threat to US pre-eminence in biomedical research if Congress does not increase levels of funding for the NIH. Yet, what is it that poses the most potent threat to the future of biomedical research — a lack of resources, or our failure to manage the level of competition for available resources? The answer to this question is vital if society is to gain maximum benefit from the public money invested in biomedical research....
