TY - JOUR
T1 - Perspectives on the narrowing and clustering of research trajectories
T2 - an epistemic threat to medical progress?
AU - Khurana, Mark P.
AU - Madsen, Emil Bargmann
PY - 2023/6/1
Y1 - 2023/6/1
N2 - Evidence suggests that a certain degree of clustering and narrowing of research trajectories is occurring, both on the individual and disease levels. Mechanisms of this process include biases in funding, a lack of coordination among funders, the significant funding role of for-profit actors, and lobbying by special interest groups. The implication is that fewer individuals might control the direction of research and certain diseases could garner a disproportionate amount of attention and resources, which could be an epistemic threat to medical progress. In this perspective article, we highlight the scale of the issue, mechanisms underlying this process, and their effects on medical progress. The article also explores potential solutions to counteract an excessive narrowing and clustering, highlighting the importance of individual researchers, patients, research organizations, and funders in ensuring that a sufficiently-diverse set of medical research trajectories are being pursued.
AB - Evidence suggests that a certain degree of clustering and narrowing of research trajectories is occurring, both on the individual and disease levels. Mechanisms of this process include biases in funding, a lack of coordination among funders, the significant funding role of for-profit actors, and lobbying by special interest groups. The implication is that fewer individuals might control the direction of research and certain diseases could garner a disproportionate amount of attention and resources, which could be an epistemic threat to medical progress. In this perspective article, we highlight the scale of the issue, mechanisms underlying this process, and their effects on medical progress. The article also explores potential solutions to counteract an excessive narrowing and clustering, highlighting the importance of individual researchers, patients, research organizations, and funders in ensuring that a sufficiently-diverse set of medical research trajectories are being pursued.
KW - clustering
KW - health policy
KW - medical research
KW - progress studies
KW - research policy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85163341521&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/scipol/scac074
DO - 10.1093/scipol/scac074
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1471-5430
VL - 50
SP - 559
EP - 563
JO - Science and Public Policy
JF - Science and Public Policy
IS - 3
ER -