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Financing a future for public biological data.

L B Ellis1, D Kalumbi

  • 1Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology and Department of Applied Economics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.

Bioinformatics (Oxford, England)
|September 28, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Public biological databases face funding uncertainty. This study explores economic models like asymmetric pricing and advertising to ensure the sustainability of these vital scientific resources.

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Area of Science:

  • Bioinformatics
  • Computational Biology
  • Scientific Databases

Background:

  • Public biological databases are crucial for scientific research but face significant long-term financial support challenges.
  • A previous study indicated funding uncertainty for over two-thirds of biological databases within a 1-5 year timeframe.
  • More in-depth data are needed to understand the scope of the financial problem and identify viable solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the finances and usage statistics of selected biological database organizations.
  • To review and evaluate various economic models for ensuring the long-term sustainability of these databases.

Main Methods:

  • In-depth financial and usage analysis of six biological database organizations.
  • Review of economic models including asymmetric pricing, advertising, and microcommerce.
  • Estimation of overall financial needs for the biological database infrastructure.

Main Results:

  • Administrative overhead for studied organizations is relatively low, with personnel and computer costs comprising 77% of expenses.
  • Asymmetric pricing is emerging as a popular model for industrial support, with at least five databases adopting it.
  • Estimated annual support needed for 400 biological databases is at least $20 million, highlighting a substantial funding gap.

Conclusions:

  • Biological databases require significant financial support, estimated at a minimum of $20 million annually.
  • Models such as asymmetric pricing, advertising, and microcommerce show promise for generating revenue.
  • Addressing the financial sustainability of biological databases is critical to prevent catastrophic loss of valuable scientific resources.

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