The reduction is due to the HM Treasury’s decision to retain the MRC’s commercial fund – the money resulting form the explotation of the council’s intellectual property. This is in stark contrast to some of the main conclusions presented in a White Paper released by the European Medical Research Councils (EMRC) – the European Science Foundation’s membership organisation for all medical research councils in Europe – which presents several strategies for improving medical research, including a doubling of public funding.
Professor Højgaard, Chair of the EMRC, said: “We believe that this White Paper presents a powerful case for the future strategy of medical research in Europe, which will benefit society in many ways and will improve the quality of life for the citizens of Europe and the rest of the world and meet the difficult challenges we are facing. A strong base in medical research will also lay the foundations for a more successful medical industry in Europe.”
However, there are fears that the reduction in the MRC’s budget could jeopardise medical research in the UK. The MRC will keep all the commercial fund income earned in 2007-2008 but for the three years of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) period 2009-2011 an upper limit has been set to the amount the MRC can retain.
However, the MRC themselves are quick to play down any negative impact. In a statement they told Laboratory News: “This change to the MRC’s commercial fund is set against a backdrop of increased funding for the MRC from the recent CSR 2007. The extra funding, which is one of the biggest commitments of support ever given to a research organisation will allow the MRC to speed up translation of research into health benefits.”
White Paper - Present Status and Future Strategy for Medical Research in Europe - is the result of a comprehensive analysis of the current state of medical research within Europe compared with its global competitors, together with an assessment of new challenges facing Europe’s citizens, including changing patterns of disease, environmental issues including global warming, and changing demographic factors such as an ageing population.
Janez Potocnik, European commissioner for science and research said: “What Europe needs is a more coherent, strategic approach to research at European level. This was the driving philosophy behind our Green Paper on the European Research Area, and one which the EMRC have taken up in their paper. That national medical research councils are teaming up to better organise medical research in Europe is a very significant signal.”
The MRC has a strong record, through its commercial arm of exploiting the intellectual property created by the scientists who work in our units and institutes. The results have helped hundreds of thousands of people around the world: Monoclonal antibodies for example now make up a third of all new drug treatments for a variety of major diseases.
