New developments in biotechnology : U.S. investment in biotechnology.

  • United States. Congress. Office of Technology Assessment.
Date:
1988
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: New developments in biotechnology : U.S. investment in biotechnology. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Chapter 2 For more than four decades, American politi- cal tradition has called for strong Federal support of basic research. In contrast, Federal support and policies related to applied research have been inconsistent—more related to changing national security needs, and more reflective of global eco- nomic competitiveness and differing political views. While the debates over Federal support of basic research were essentially settled in the affirmative in the late 1940s, debate over techno- logical development and application has continued over the years, often technology by technology. In recent years, a new dimension has been added to the debates, stimulated by the belief that the United States has suffered some loss of interna- tional economic competitiveness due to the rela- tive decline in its scientific and technological ca- pabilities. This new dimension is reflected in keen inter- est in and a focus on questions related to the Fed- eral Government’s roles and policies in support- ing, affecting, and facilitating the levels and patterns of industrial innovation. Much of this in- terest arises from the belief that the ability of the United States to improve and maintain its present standard of living depends on its ability to main- tain and enhance its competitive position in the provision of goods and services derived from ap- plication of advanced industrial technologies. De- bates on these issues in the context of various high technologies, such as biotechnology, are likely to continue in the times immediately ahead due to concerns about the trade deficit and U.S. indus- trial competitiveness. Far more than an opportunity for economic pre- dominance in biotechnology is at stake. The wide- reaching potential applications of biotechnol- ogy lie close to the center of many of the world’s major problems—malnutrition, dis- ease, energy availability and cost, and pollu- tion. Biotechnology can change both the way we live and the industrial community of the 21st cen- tury because of its potential to produce: © products never before available, ¢ products that are currently in short supply, e products that cost substantially less than products made by existing methods of pro- duction, ® products that may be safer than those now available, and ® products made with raw materials that may be more plentiful and less expensive than those now used (4). Policymakers are interested in biotechnology because of its potential for improving health, food production, and environmental quality, and be- cause it is seen as a strategic industry with great potential for heightening U.S. international eco- nomic competitiveness. These expectations logi- cally lead to questions of whether current levels of funding are adequate and properly focused and whether the United States should use additional methods to promote research and development in this diverse area. As in other areas of science and technology, there are fundamental questions about the obligations and roles of various institu- tions in promoting and regulating these technol- ogies. Traditionally, basic research has been supported by the Federal Government, applied research and development has been the domain of industry, and the States have invested in both, depending upon the needs of their economies. The ubiquitous nature of biotechnology makes it the focus of several areas of public policy. Bio- technology relies on the expertise of a multitude of collaborative scientific and engineering dis- ciplines in both the basic and applied sciences, requiring support across a wide range of fields. The multidisciplinary nature of biotechnology has extensive implications for governmental, educa- tional, and industrial structures, suggesting di- verse incentives for action. The allocation of re- sources to build the necessary scientific and technological base and to provide for the regula- tion and control of resulting products, processes, and uses is a fundamental role of government.