Toward a policy agenda on medical research funding: results of a symposium.

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia convened a symposium to discuss the roles of government, industry, and foundations in funding biomedical research. Government, no longer the largest funder of biomedical research, focuses on basic science. The pharmaceutical industry, now the largest sponsor, focuses on developing and testing new products. Foundations play a unique role in their ability to fund research overlooked by the other sectors. However, gaps remain in this infrastructure. Barriers, including lack of qualified investigators and administrative burdens, constrain discovery. Funders should collaborate to address these constraints and stimulate new sources of funding.