Scientists are not the only ones conducting experiments these days: Governments around the world are experimenting with various ways to stimulate their sagging economies, including plans aimed at strengthening biomedical research. Here is a summary of budget-related headlines from the past week:

-- The Norwegian government unveiled a NOK 20 billion ($2.84 billion) stimulus package that included around NOK 3 billion of support for biotechnology, designed to protect half of the country’s biotech companies from bankruptcy.

-- The 2009 Canadian budget will invest millions into research infrastructure over the next two years. On the downside, Genome Canada, which funds large-scale genomics and proteomics research, will receive no new money this year. Moreover, the three government councils that provide grants to scientists (including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research) will see their collective budgets reduced by $113 million CAD ($91 million) over the next three years.

-- The US House of Representatives passed an $825 billion stimulus bill, with $10 billion of that going to science facilities, research, and instrumentation. The Senate is currently debating the bill.

What do you think of the plans that have come out so far?

Photo by epicharmus