ABSTRACT
The last decade has been marked by rapid advances in technology that have transformed the conduct of biomedical research and accelerated the pace of scientific discovery. These advances have been fueled largely by funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). After doubling between 1998 and 2003, the NIH budget has stagnated in recent years. The current economic crisis further threatens the NIH budget, and with it the pace of scientific discovery. Rather than implementing cost reduction strategies aimed solely at weathering the current storm, it is time for research institutions to adopt a long-term, sustainable approach to cost control.
