Spain claims EU biomedical R&D (research and development) directive first:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Spain is claiming to be the first country in the EU to meet the directive on biomedical research, which sets out programmes for EU-wide collaborations. Spain has allocated E540m ($531m) in 2002-05 to a programme of initiatives aimed at improving healthcare research. These include improving collaboration across the different areas of the national R&D programme and to more directly involve the national health system, ahead of its integration into the future EU-wide research network. The Instituto de Salud Carlos III will be responsible for managing the programme. The ministries of health and of science admit that 42% of Spanish research is not co-ordinated.