Although clinical researchers are commonly sought for academic departments, highly skilled and talented individuals who understand and can perform complex human studies are also needed by industry and government agencies. Clinical research is currently threatened by fundamental changes in the organization of health care, major efforts to contain health care expenditures, the high costs of performing clinical studies, such as those associated with drug development, that add to the growing health care budget, and a perceived reduction in the number of individuals pursuing careers in patient-based research. The committee fears that a health care environment that focuses solely on costs or the effort to contain costs will increase the disincentive to invest in clinical research.
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