Treasury Raid On MRC Condemned, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 18 Dec 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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The Royal Society has condemned a reported raid on the commercial fund of the Medical Research Council by the Treasury. It has been reported that £92 million is to be taken from the fund.

Martin Rees, President of the Royal Society said: "Any 'clawback' of money from the MRC's commercial fund would be a breach of faith with the scientists whose enterprise built up this fund in the past - a fund intended to support future discoveries that will improve and save lives. Moreover, it would be a disincentive to scientists who should surely be given every encouragement to apply their research for the benefit of patients.

"We should all welcome the Government's consistent support for medical research. But there is a key principle at stake here. If ring-fenced funds can be raided, or if institutions receiving public funds are not rewarded for earning extra resources, a damaging precedent is set. The Government should be encouraging innovation in publicly funded institutions as well as the private sector."

http://www.royalsociety.org/