The new biomedical and health research program of the European Economic Community--BIOMED 1 (1990-94).

Abstract

The new EEC Biomedical and Health Research Programme (BIOMED 1) is presented. After a brief introduction on the background of the Programme--in which an overview of the ongoing Medical and Health Research Programme (MHR 4) is given--the main features of the new Programme are pointed out. On what concerns its aims and objectives, concertation and coordination of national research programmes at community level are stressed as well as the need to apply to the maximum possible extent the principles of subsidiary and community added value, in order to ensure an European dimension to the actions which are going to be supported and to achieve the harmonization of research methodologies, procedures and data. As regards the content of the Programme a description is made of its four main areas: Area 1--Development of co-ordinated research on prevention, care and health systems (main topics: drugs and the administration of medicines; risk factors and occupational health; biomedical technology; health services research); Area 2--Major health problems and diseases of great socio-economic impact (AIDS; cancer; cardiovascular disease; mental illness and neurological disease; the ageing process, and age-related health problems and handicaps); Area 3--Human Genoma Analysis (improvement of the genetic map; physical mapping; DNA sequencing; data-handling and databases; technology development and applications of human genome analysis); Area 4--Research on biomedical ethics (compilation of legislation; evaluation of questions of biomedical ethics linked with the Programme; evaluation of the social impact of the Programme and its risks).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)