title: Nonprofit biomedical companies.
abstract: Nonprofit biomedical firms are an integrated market-based solution to improve incentives for investment in promising scientific areas that have high social value but minimal potential for profit. We briefly review the current market with an emphasis on the financing of innovative product development and propose ideas for new nonprofit companies centered on the health concerns of developed countries. We conclude with a suggestion that opportunities exist for nonprofit firms focused on cancer diagnostics, given the limitations of current financing incentives and ripe scientific opportunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Center on Health and the Social Sciences, Program on Pharmaceutical Policy, Cancer Research Center, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA. rconti@uchicago.edu
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Meltzer
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ratain
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020811:Biomedical Technology / Q000191:economics*; D019049:Developed Countries; D019981:Health Care Sector; D006801:Humans; D009939:Organizations, Nonprofit / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration