Resources in medical research

The biennial national statistical surveys of research and development expenditure, based on OECD guidelines, contribute to the knowledge base for Norwegian research policy. This article outlines the resources for research and development in the medical sciences, with emphasis on the higher education sector. This sector, which includes university hospitals, performs about 75% of medical research in Norway (medical research in industry not included) while the remaining 25% is performed in research institutes in the institute sector. In 1995, current expenditure for medical research amounted to 1,240 million Norwegian kroner, 930 million in the higher education sector and 310 million in the institute sector. From 1993 to 1995, there was a small increase in real terms in resources for medical research in universities and colleges paid for over institutional budgets, while there was no growth in externally funded research. Over the 25-year period 1970-1995, the growth in expenditures for medical research was higher than for the natural sciences, but lower than for the humanities and the social sciences. Comparisons between the Nordic countries show that investments in medical research in Norway is much lower than in Denmark or Sweden.