Medical research funding crisis caused by Covid-19
A crisis in charity research funding caused by the Covid-19 pandemic threatens to weaken the UK’s reputation as a worldleader in science, put thousands of research careers at risk, and delay the pace of life saving discoveries, according to charity leaders.
Writing in the Lancet, the CEOs of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and Cancer Research UK warn that without Government support, life-saving progress for patients is at risk.
The charities warn that a projected fall in fundraising revenue could cause irreparable damage to UK research, leaving the UK’s position as a home for world-leadingscienceinperil.
Since the start of the pandemic,medicalresearchcharities have been forced to make dramatic cuts to their research budgets, with the BHF reducing its research spend by half this year, while Cancer Research UK has already made a cut of £44 million to its research portfolio over the same period. The Association of Medical Research Charities members are projecting a shortfall in research spend of between £252 and £368 million in 2020/21 alone.
With more than 17,000 scientists being supported by charity funding, they also warn that thousands of research jobs are at risk. A survey, cited by the CEOs, of more than 500 charityfunded early career researchers found that four in ten are considering leaving research due to funding concerns since Covid-19 hit the UK.
Members of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) have called for Government to commit to a Life Sciences-Charity Partnership Fund before irreparable damage is done to the sector.
Aisling Burnand, chief Executive of AMRC, said:
“So far we’ve seen nothing from Government to support charity-funded medical research. The upcoming Spending Review could be a turning point.
“Many of our members are already making incredibly difficult decisions, and if we don’t see a commitment to a Life Sciences Charity Partnership Fund in the Spending Review, they will be forced to make further cuts to vital research. This will stall progress towards new treatments and therapies impacting the lives of countless people. Ultimately, it will be patients who will suffer the consequences, which is heart-breaking.