Existing Funding Sources in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy Research: Scoping Review

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a disabling condition caused by cervical spinal cord compression. Despite its prevalence, research into DCM has been limited. Prior studies have documented the clinical impact of DCM but have not focused on the financial support driving this research. It was already known that DCM requires significant research to improve clinical outcomes. However, no prior work had resolved the extent of funding available for DCM research. This gap motivated a detailed analysis of declared funding sources. Existing literature has shown that spinal cord disorders often rely on institutional funding. Yet, the specific funding landscape for DCM remained unclear. That uncertainty drove the need to map current funding patterns. Understanding these patterns is essential for guiding future research investments.

This study aimed to identify and analyze funding sources for DCM research globally. The specific problem was the lack of a comprehensive overview of funding trends in DCM. The motivation came from a recent James Lind Alliance Partnership that highlighted research priorities for DCM. To address these priorities, the authors sought to determine which organizations and countries are currently funding DCM research. The goal was to assess the distribution of funding across regions and types of funding bodies. The study also aimed to estimate the total value of grants awarded for DCM-specific research. By doing so, the authors hoped to highlight potential areas for future funding investment. This information could help guide stakeholders in allocating resources more effectively.

The researchers conducted a systematic search of the Web of Science database using the terms 'cervical AND myelopathy.' They included papers published between 1995 and 2020 that explicitly studied DCM and declared funding sources. Funding bodies were categorized by country and organization type. A separate grant search was performed using Dimensions.ai to estimate total funding awarded for DCM research. The study focused on identifying the top funders and the geographic distribution of funding. Data were extracted on the number of funded papers and the total grant amounts. The analysis compared funding patterns across the USA, China, and Japan. The methodology ensured that only DCM-specific research was considered. This approach allowed for a detailed mapping of current funding sources.

The study identified 621 papers with declared funding sources, involving 300 unique funding bodies. AO Spine funded the most DCM research with 87 papers, followed by the National Institutes of Health (USA) and the National Natural Science Foundation (China), each with 63 papers. The USA supported the most DCM research overall with 242 papers, followed by China (209) and Japan (116). In the USA, 60.3% of funding came from corporate or nonprofit organizations. In contrast, 99.5% of Chinese funding was from institutions. Dimensions.ai estimated 180 grants awarded specifically for DCM research since 1996, totaling $45.6 million. The top funding countries aligned with areas of high DCM research activity. Corporate and nonprofit funding played a larger role in the USA compared to China. These findings highlight the current funding landscape and regional differences.

The study shows that DCM research is primarily funded by the USA, China, and Japan. Funding sources differ between these countries, with institutional support dominating in China and corporate/nonprofit funding in the USA. AO Spine is the leading funder of DCM research globally. The total declared funding for DCM-specific research is $45.6 million since 1996. These findings suggest that funding patterns align with research activity in these regions. The authors propose that current funding sources may not fully reflect the broader medical research landscape. This observation implies opportunities for new funding sources in DCM research. The study does not suggest that additional funding is essential but highlights the current funding distribution.