Why we, the tax payers, need to pay for research.

In the 1970's, 70% of all university research was funded by the government. The research was helpful to me, as a physician, in caring for my patients.

By the mid-1990's, 70% of university research was funded by industry. This led to my being less effective as a physician.

Nutrasweet research is an example of why we, the tax-payers, should pay for research. Recent news reports noted that the majority of research showed Nutrasweet to be safe. However, when one looks at the funding for those studies, almost all of the studies saying Nutrasweet is safe were funded by industry. These are the same people that told us Thalidomide led to safer pregnancies.

One year, treatment protocols indicate I should use a certain drug, Crestor or Zyprexa. A few years later, I learn that I have caused a lot of damage to my patients using these "indicated" agents.

Either we pay for the research, or we pay for the effect of the mistakes.