Research investment — September 24, 2002

What this page covers

Debates about pharmaceutical R&D investment usually connect company commitments, the policy environment, domestic research capacity and expectations for public value.

• Define which spending qualifies as R&D
• Separate announced commitments from realized spending
• Consider public, academic and private research together
• Measure outcomes over an appropriate time horizon

Reading public communications

Separate announcements from measured outcomes, check the date and audience, identify the evidence behind each claim and look for balanced discussion of uncertainty and trade-offs.