Globalization and changing trends of biomedical research output

Area of Science:

• Biomedical research and development
• Scientific publication analysis
• Health economics and policy

Background:

• The United States has historically led global research and development (R&D) expenditures.
• Concerns exist regarding the impact of stagnant federal funding on US leadership in biomedical research.
• Biomedical research is crucial for clinical discoveries and public health advancements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the trends in US biomedical research output compared to other leading nations.
• To evaluate the correlation between R&D funding and scientific publication productivity.
• To provide data supporting concerns about US federal funding for biomedical research.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of original research articles published between 2000 and 2015.
• Focus on articles authored by US-based investigators in ten high-impact clinical and basic science journals.
• Comparative analysis of publication output from US and China-based researchers.

Main Results:

• A steady decline in the number of articles from US authors in high-ranking journals was observed.
• No significant change in publication output from US authors in mid-ranking journals.
• A consistent increase in publications from China-based investigators across both high- and mid-ranking journals.

Conclusions:

• The findings indicate a potential erosion of US dominance in biomedical research publication.
• Increased R&D investment in China correlates with its growing research output.
• The observed trends support concerns regarding stagnant and uncertain US federal funding for biomedical research.