Holyrood

A healthy investment

Charity-funded medical research is an engine of economic growth, but the pandemic has hit it hard. Now politician­s across Holyrood are calling on Scottish ministers to ensure the sector gets the same level of public funding as in England

- By Staff Reporter

THE DISCOVERY OF PENICILLIN, THE first use of diagnostic MRI scanning, and research leading to the global use of statins to prevent cardiovasc­ular disease, all happened in Scotland.

Medical breakthrou­ghs of internatio­nal importance continue to take place regularly because of the research and developmen­t (R&D) environmen­t on these shores. In Scotland, world-class universiti­es, the NHS and medical research funders come together to create an ideal ecosystem for this work.

Charity funding is a critical part of the mix. Medical research funding by charities is estimated to account for 46 per cent of all third sector and public research funding in Scotland, with BHF Scotland, the Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK among the biggest donors. This vital work leads to improved diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases.

But the benefits go further: charity-funded medical research is also an engine of the Scottish economy.

“Medical research is not just a public good, it’s an economic investment in Scotland’s future,” says David Mccolgan of BHF Scotland. “The raw numbers on jobs and growth speak for themselves.

“But we must fund it properly. If we don’t, there is a real danger that Scotland’s hard-won prestige as a research centre will fade and that the economic benefits it brings will diminish.”

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