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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Fundamental Research at Risk
Washington Post (12/27/94) P. A1 Rensberger, Boyce
Scientists say that basic science, which focuses on learning more about how nature works, is the most misunderstood form of research. The National Science Foundation, which was established to support basic science, has been told to divert more of its money to applied science, which provides more immediate, practical results. Many scientists, however, say that without basic science to expand the body of knowledge, science cannot continue to produce practical benefits. Contrary to most research, the scientific response to AIDS is different. Although billions of dollars have been spent during the past decade on AIDS research, a cure remains out of sight. Some scientists claim that the amount of money appropriated for AIDS research is more than is needed to support the best research. The money is often allotted for mediocre proposals, while scientifically superior projects in basic science or aimed at other diseases go underfunded. William Paul, head of the Office of AIDS Research at the National Institutes of Health, disagrees, saying that applications for AIDS research grants have about the same "unacceptably low" chance of success as grants in other biomedical fields. Early in the epidemic, before much funding was targeted at the disease, basic science showed that a retrovirus was the cause of AIDS. Progress against AIDS has slowed since then because there has not been enough knowledge provided by basic science to support much further progress.
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
