title: The myth of the biotech revolution.
abstract: The existence of a medicinal 'biotech revolution' has been widely accepted and promoted by academics, consultants, industry and government. This has generated expectations about significant improvements in the drug discovery process, healthcare and economic development that influence a considerable amount of policy-making. Here we present empirical evidence, from a variety of indicators, that shows that a range of outputs have failed to keep pace with increased research and development spending. Rather than producing revolutionary changes, medicinal biotechnology is following a well-established pattern of slow and incremental technology diffusion. Consequently, many expectations are wildly optimistic and over-estimate the speed and extent of the impact of biotechnology, suggesting that the assumptions underpinning much contemporary policymaking need to be rethought.
authors.affiliation: Science Policy Research Unit, Freeman Centre, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1, UK. p.nightingale@sussex.ac.uk
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nightingale
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D015195:Drug Design; D009229:Mythology; D010330:Patents as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D011639:Public Opinion; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical / Q000379:methods*; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations