Category: Business conditions
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Study: Genomics R&D Generates $796 Billion Return to U.S.
An analysis by Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, Ohio estimates that the Human Genome Project and associated activities generated an economic return of $796 billion between 1988 and 2010, from an investment of $3.8 billion ($5.6 billion in constant dollars). In addition, Battelle calculates genomics research and development directly and indirectly resulted in personal income…
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One Nation, Under Geeks
Review: Geek Nation by Angela Saini. Hodder & Stoughton (3 Mar 2011). Science writer Angela Saini describes the rise of science and engineering in India in her new book Geek Nation. But if you’re looking for a triumphant Indian victory march you may be disappointed. The book instead offers a sophisticated and nuanced analysis of…
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NIH Panel to Study Biomedical Workforce Future
A National Institutes of Health (NIH) working group will study the U.S. biomedical workforce of the future, but with limited input from private companies. Of the 12 members of the panel, only one participant — Garry Neil, vice president of Johnson & Johnson in New Brunswick, New Jersey — is from the private sector. The…
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Business Council Releases Ecosystem Valuation Guide
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in Geneva, Switzerland released today its Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation (CEV), to help businesses better understand the benefits and value of ecosystem services like fresh water, food, fiber, and natural hazard protection. The CEV guide can be downloaded free of charge from the WBCSD Web site.…
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Dell Inc. to Open Silicon Valley R&D Center
Dell Inc., a computer manufacturer in Round Rock, Texas announced plans to open a new research and development center in in California’s Silicon Valley. The company says the new Santa Clara facility is expected to grow to 1,500 employees over the next five years. The Dell Silicon Valley Research and Development Center will focus on…
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Novartis to Close U.K. Plant, Consolidate R&D Sites
The pharmaceutical company Novartis, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, says it has begun talks to close its factory in Horsham, U.K. and consolidate its R&D facilities in Europe. According to the Financial Times, Novartis will continue its other U.K. plants in Grimsby, Liverpool, and Dundee. Closing the Horsham plant will mean the loss of 550 jobs,…
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Report: Pharma Research Productivity Undercounted
In a new analysis, pharmaceutical market research company EvaluatePharma in London, U.K. says current methods of measuring productivity of the industry miss a big part of the industry’s output and thus give a misleading picture. The report suggests the pharma industry is in better shape than most observers indicate. EvaluatePharma says most industry watchers count…
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New U.S. Start Ups Rise in 2010: That’s the Good News
According to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, American adults created 565,000 new businesses in 2010, which represents the highest level of entrepreneurship over the past 15 years. The foundation notes, however, that the dismal state of the economy and high unemployment may have pressed more individuals into going it alone, rather…
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AstraZeneca, HealthCore Partner on Health Outcomes Research
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and HealthCore Inc. in Wilmington, Delaware, said today they will collaborate on real-world studies to determine how to most effectively and economically treat disease. HealthCore Inc. is the clinical outcomes research subsidiary of the health insurance company WellPoint Inc. The research is expected to include prospective and retrospective observational studies on disease states…
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Survey: Workers Use Employer Health Plan for Medical Info
Most U.S. workers covered by employer- or union-provided health plans go to those plans for medical information, according to a recent survey. The survey, conducted in October 2010 by the National Business Group on Health — an association of more than 300 large employers — had respondents from 1,538 employees at organizations with 2,000 or…