An introduction to foundation and industry-sponsored research: practical and ethical considerations

Investigators face formidable challenges in securing adequate support for their research efforts. Federal subsidies for biomedical research have not expanded in the past several years, while applications to the National Institutes of Health for investigator-initiated studies have increased substantially. Faced with stiffening competition, investigators, particularly those at the outset of their careers, may consider alternative sources of funding and support. Philanthropic foundations, private donors, and commercial industry provide a diverse array of funding opportunities. Strategies to identify and solicit funding from these alternative sources are addressed herein. Emphasis is given to the development and support of investigator-initiated clinical research. Ethical considerations that frame investigators' acceptance and utilization of research subsidies from for-profit entities, i.e., pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies, are reviewed. The importance of the protection of intellectual property and the preservation of academic integrity and autonomy, especially in the context of corporate sponsorship, also are highlighted.