Science
Leading charity CEOs warn of damage to research caused by Covid-19 pandemic
A crisis in charity research funding caused by the Covid-19 pandemic threatens to weaken the UK’s reputation as a world-leader in science, we are warning today in a comment for a leading scientific journal.
Writing in the Lancet, our Chief Executive Dr Charmaine Griffiths was joined by Michelle Mitchell of Cancer Research UK and Aisling Burnand of the Association of Medical Research Charities in warning that without Government support, life saving progress for patients is at risk.
Citing the significant contribution made by medical research charities to the UK’s research landscape - £1.9 billion in 2019 alone – we warn that a projected fall in fundraising revenue could profoundly damage UK research, leaving the UK’s position as a home for world leading science in peril.
Since the start of the pandemic, medical research charities have been forced to make dramatic cuts to their research budgets. At the BHF we have had to reduce our research spend by half this year, while CRUK has already made a cut of £44 million to its research portfolio over the same period. The Association of Medical Research Charities members are projecting a shortfall in research spend of between £252 and £368 million in 2020/21 alone.
Alongside other members of the AMRC we are calling for the Government to commit to a Life Sciences Charity Partnership Fund before irreparable damage is done to the sector. The Fund, backed by eminent scientists, industry leaders and politicians from all parties, would see Government investment in charity research to bridge the shortfall in fundraising income until funding levels can return to those seen before the start of the pandemic.
'Vital role of research has never been clearer'
Our Chief Executive Dr Charmaine Griffiths said: “To overlook the scale of research funded by charities at this critical time would put life saving discoveries at risk, threaten our economic recovery and jeopardise the Government’s ambition to make the UK a global ‘science superpower'.
“Charities have driven significant breakthroughs which have turned the tide on some of our biggest killers including heart disease and cancer. But without Government commitment to a Life Sciences-Charity Partnership Fund in the upcoming Spending Review, charities will be forced to make devastating cuts to their research which will be hugely damaging for patients and UK science. At the BHF we have had to halve our research investment from £100m to £50m this year. The need to support research has become even more pressing as we enter further lockdowns across the UK and our shops close their doors.”
“Science has taken centre stage this year and the vital role of research has never been clearer. Keeping our scientific edge is essential to ensuring the UK economy gets back on track and enabling breakthroughs that save and improve lives.”