NIH funding for research underlying new cancer therapies

Authors

Ekaterina Galkina Cleary
Fred D. Ledley

Document Type

Response or Comment

Publication Date

6-2020

Publication Title

The Lancet Oncology

Volume

21

Issue

6

First Page

755

Last Page

757

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(20)30235-7

Abstract

Contemporary discovery and development of cancer drugs are based on the model that investments in basic biomedical science will provide insights that can be translated into new cures. In the USA, basic research is primarily funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH),1 which allocates half of its research budget to basic science,2 with smaller amounts contributed by philanthropy, academics, or industry.1 Basic science is formally defined as the “systematic study directed toward fuller knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and observable facts without specific application towards processes or products in mind”.3 However, science is often useinspired,4 and much of the NIH funding for basic research comes from institutes with specific health missions.2,4 Is there a direct link between NIH funding for basic science and the emergence of new cancer therapies?

Recommended Citation

Cleary, Ekaterina Galkina and Ledley, Fred D., 2020. NIH funding for research underlying new cancer therapies, The Lancet Oncology.