Ease clinical trial regulations to reduce costs
The recession is threatening medical research, according to a charity association. The Association of Medical Research Charities has said the Government needs to step in to help medical charities.
A poll of its 117 members, which together spent nearly £1bn on research last year, found 25% say they will cut their spending this year, with smaller charities being hardest hit as they had the most meagre resources to draw on. The association wants the Government to guarantee a fund which covers the overheads of carrying out research in universities in England.
There has also been a call for a cut in the VAT on costs, resulting in a cash injection which could aid research activities. The association also wants regulation surrounding clinical trials alleviated, making them easier and cheaper to get off the ground.
While charities were currently trying to save as much money as possible by closer collaboration and co-funding, the AMRC's chief executive Simon Denegri said: 'We urge the government to support these efforts by not only maintaining its investment in science but also continuing to focus attention on reducing the regulatory burden which has grown in recent years.'
The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign says it has already turned down 50% of research grant applications. It has reduced its research budget by 15% to balance the books.
Fears that public donations for bowel and prostate cancer research would dry up were expressed by the Association for International Cancer Research (AICR).
The charity's head, Norman Barrett said while people were still leaving money in their wills, the value of those had decreased significantly as property prices and investments depreciated.
