In a statewide survey conducted earlier this year, more than two-thirds of New Jersey residents support a call to double funding for medical and health research over five years. This support was accompanied by nine in ten residents emphasizing the importance of medical and health research to New Jersey's economy, in terms of jobs and incomes.
New Jersey is the personification of research partnerships.
Majority support is further expressed for all aspects of medical and health research including 85 percent who say even if it brings no immediate benefit, basic science research which advances the frontiers of knowledge is necessary and should be supported by the federal government. Currently, only three cents of every health care dollar is spent on medical and health research, public and private funding combined. Ninety-five percent of residents surveyed feel New Jersey should be a leader in medical and health research. But the best luck would be to continue the kind of commitment made by Congress last year to double research funding over five years. Many of New Jersey's academic institutions and industries partnered in sponsoring the survey.