The intramural role of the NIH as a biomedical research institute

An investigation of the NIH role as a biomedical research institute is reported, based on counts of articles, notes, and reviews in 1,000 biomedical journals covered by the Science Citation Index from 1973 to 1975. Investigators at the NIH produce more biomedical research papers per year than any other group in the U.S., accounting for approximately 3.4% of all U.S. biomedical research papers. The NIH papers show a strong emphasis at research Level 3, clinical investigation, which is the most basic and scientific level of research focused directly on disease in man. On a clincial-to-basic science continuum the NIH emphasis on clinical laboratory research represents a position that is midway between the more clinical research being performed at medical schools and the more basic research being performed in graduate departments of universities. The papers of the NIH intramural scientists appear in highly influential journals. In the mid 1970's, the rate of NIH intramural publication is particularly high in the subfields of biomedicine that are most closely related to research on cancer.