Poor Science; Poorly Trained Scientists; Poor Policies: Major Deterrents to the War on Cancer
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-2279.2018.07.03.3Keywords:
Cancer, NIH policies, training of scientists, excessive molecular biology, holistic physiological/pathophysiological approach.Abstract
Although the availability of funding has been described as the major limitation on advances in cancer, the progress in the war on cancer has been deterred mainly by poor science, poorly trained scientists, and poor NIH policies. This is the result of NIH policies of its extreme focus on molecular biology (genomics, molecular genetics, molecular biology) identification of the molecular factors and pathways; which are required for the acceptability of treatment and preventive protocols. As such, this has influenced virtually all agencies that provide grants for medical research to adopt the NIH policies. This has impacted the funding of the research as well as the focus of the training of scientists. Directors of NCI Dr. Varmus (also Nobel Prize awardee) and Dr. Zerhouni had addressed this issue; and they rejected the necessity of molecular biology studies and information. NIH should return to the holistic physiological/pathophysiological approach to studies of cancer issues. This would provide the best approach for winning the war on cancer.
References
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Costello LC. The effect of contemporary education and training of biomedical scientists on present and future medical research. Acad Med 2009; 84: 459-63. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e31819a7c6b
Perspective: Is NIH funding the "best science by the best scientists"? A critique of the NIH R01 research grant review policies. Acad Med 2010; 85(5): 775-9. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e3181d74256
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