UK Clinical Research Collaboration releases third report on UK health research spend

Published by Arthritis Research UK - Thursday 20 August 2015

Today the UK Clinical Research Collaboration has released a report of its third UK-wide analysis of health research spend by public and charity funders. The analysis uses data from 64 funders, including Arthritis Research UK.

Funders used the Health Research Classification System to code their research portfolios by research activity and disease area. The report examines spend on health research in 2014 and trends in spend since the previous analyses in 2004/05 and 2009/10.

While spend on health research increased from 2004/05 to 2009/10, there was little increase in real terms spend from 2009/10 to 2014. Among the 12 largest funders who provided data for all three reports (which includes Arthritis Research UK), there was a decrease in the proportion of spend on underpinning and aetiology research although these two research activities continue to account for more than 50% of total spend.

The proportion of spend on detection and diagnosis, treatment development and treatment evaluation has increased, reflecting a strategic shift across funders to translate discoveries into new treatments.

With regards to changes in spend on the disease areas most relevant to Arthritis Research UK, across the 12 largest funders there was a small decrease in the proportion of spend on inflammatory and immune conditions, with the proportion of spend on musculoskeletal conditions remaining stable. However, the analysis indicates a large gap between the proportion of spend on musculoskeletal conditions and disease burden as measured by disability adjusted life years, which indicate the morbidity and mortality associated with a disease.

This analysis highlights the known gap in funding in musculoskeletal research comparative to disease burden. We're working to address this gap by continuing to fund high quality research in this area, partnering with other funders of musculoskeletal research, and raising awareness in Parliament.

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