Calculating the Value of the NIH
The National Institutes of Health is the world's largest funder of life science research, but how much of that taxpayer-funded research leads to patented discoveries? More than many experts thought.
The National Institutes of Health has long been a treasure of undetermined worth. The largest funder of life science research in the world, the NIH spends about $30 billion annually on academic research. Scientists use NIH grants to unravel genomes, map the deep interiors of cells and forage for novel solutions for problematic diseases.
But how much of that $30 billion leads to tangible results for the average taxpayer
