"Basic research...
pays off in terms
of key discoveries
almost twice as
handsomely as
other types of
research and
development
combined."

—a major
conclusion of a
landmark study
that revealed that
the most important
advances in
cardiovascular
medicine grew out
of the work of
basic scientists.*

*Comroe, JH,
Dripps RD.
Scientific basis for
support of
biomedical science.
Science 1976;
192:105-11.

"If you think research is expensive, try disease." This famous quote is attributed to Mary Lasker, a philanthropist and advocate for medical research. Her words acknowledge that by providing a solid understanding of the cellular and molecular changes that cause disease, basic research may help prevent disease or cure it in its early stages, yielding tremendous savings of both money and misery. The quote is clearly borne out by the numbers.

Regardless of what measure is used —reduced health care costs or increased productivity due to longer life and decreased illness —studies show returns on investment ranging from $10 to more than $80 for every dollar spent on basic research. Not surprisingly, the longer a medical advance is available, the greater the benefits.

Basic biomedical research also benefits the economy in more direct ways. Many nonbiomedical industries have been either created or enhanced by biomedical discoveries. Together, the following industrial applications contribute tens of billions of dollars to the U.S. economy every year:

• Freeze-drying, which was developed to concentrate and preserve laboratory samples, is now widely used in the food industry.


• Basic studies of digestive enzymes led to improvements including meat tenderizers; bread dough conditioners; milk coagulants for cheese production; stain-removal additives in laundry detergent; and preservatives for beer, wine, and juice.


• Fundamental research on the role of immune factors in controlling herpes led to a vaccine for a deadly disease in chickens.

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