Short Communication
Emanual Michael Patelia
Abstract
An annual sum of approximately £2.8 billion is spent on academic medical research in the UK – £1.2 billion of which is sourced from medical charities. Despite only being a fraction of the amount spent on medical research in the US, the UK is second only to the US in terms of research output, with more articles and citations per researcher than any other country. But how much research with a medical aim is actually converted into a benefit for patients? Is it all money well spent? These are the questions being asked as we endure an economic downturn, while patients seek the next miracle cure.