Privately funded research

While the numbers of animals involved in research is tracked closely and is well known, such is not the case for human subjects involved in clinical trials. We simply do not know how many are involved in such trials in the United States, much less worldwide. Though the NIH does track closely how many dollars and individuals are involved in research it funds ( 12.7 billion and seven million subjects in 1997), the same is not true for privately funded research (where the numbers are greater). And while there is now a Web site where one can examine the numbers and types of efficacy trials open, the same is not true for Phase I tolerance and pharmacokinetic trials, where most potential drugs cease development. 

This philosophy was incorporated into the participation agreements between ER E and project sponsors. Potential process improvements are being brought into the project from Exxon s privately funded research, and are also being identified within the project. In addition, sponsors are suggesting improvements based on non-confidential information. Currently active process improvements are directed toward improving product yields, process operability and process efficiency. 

A number of networks, addresses the topic of Inspection, have been established around ongoing private or Nationally funded research, such as ... 

The commercial production of cellulosic ethanol is moving closer with advances in technology along with federal and private funding for new plants and research centers. These are accelerating the time to volume production which could push the cost of ethanol from cellulosic feedstocks to well under 1.00 a gallon below the cost of corn ethanol. 

A collaboration between industrial players and research organisations was set up to enhance the innovative research on fuel cells within the Flemish region. This partnership is financed with public and private funds and started in June 2003 with 12 companies. 

The publicly-funded fuel cell research program started in 1985, with the main activities performed at the Energy research Centre ofthe Netherlands (ECN). Between 1985 and 2001, about 100 million was invested by mixed public-private funds in the development of fuel cell and hydrogen energy. The objectives ofthe Dutch fuel cell programs were initially oriented to the application of coal gas in MCFC based systems. The MCFC activities were terminated in 2001, after an evaluation failed to indicate its commercial viability with natural gas. Afterwards, the activities shifted to SOFC and PEM technology for high efficient conversion of natural gas in small-scale decentralised units. 

EPA is the only entity that has a clear mandate to conduct research to gather information on effective approaches and to transfer that information to all who could use it nationwide. This information collection, evaluation, and dissemination role is a key component of the research function and one that EPA is uniquely suited to serve. In short, no individual local government or private business is likely to fund research needed by many local governments and private businesses to help reduce their waste streams. Yet, as more and more elements of our society become directly involved in the business of risk reduction, such research clearly is needed."... 

In the United States, the federal government has responded to such hopes with a relatively modest level of funding. The National Nanotechnology Initiative received a total of 464 million in 2001, its first year of operation, an amount that increased gradually over the years to 1,303 billion in FY (fiscal year) 2006. President George W. Bush then reduced his request for FY 2007 to 1,278 billion. Much research is also paid for by private funds, of course, hut overall the enthusiasm of some researchers for the promise of nanotechnology has not been matched by the levels of funding needed to attain those results. 

In order to gain rapid progress toward these intriguing goals, the level of government and private funding in the nanosciences continues to soar. This has spawned a number of institutes in recent years, focused on research, development, and commercialization of nanoscale discoveries, as well as public education/outreach. Some recent examples are ... 

To what degree are private funds supporting public research Has this been used to argue for increased public funding ... 

NIH is a key element in a partnership that has thrived for decades and includes universities and academic health centers, independent research institutions, and private industry, where research programs and product development activities help make federally funded research findings more widely available. The partnership, which has produced many of the medical advances that benefit Americans today, also includes voluntary and professional health organizations, and the Congress, which consistently has supported this vast enterprise. 

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