Government funding of cancer research in Brazil

Abstract

Background: Cancer research is a prominent theme on national and international development agendas. In many developed countries, funding for this area comes mainly from government sources. This article analyzes government funding of cancer research in Brazil, identifying the main funding instruments and examining the regional distribution of resources, research project and researcher profiles. Methods: Exploratory study of government funding of cancer research in Brazil between 2007 and 2016. The primary data were federal and state funding agencies. Results: A total of 8565 research awards were identified for the period 2007–2016. Amounting to almost US$489 million, these awards were linked to 7622 research projects and 3068 researchers. The proportion of grants awarded to women was slightly higher. It is noteworthy that just 3% of researchers received 20 % of the grants. The multiple-grant history of individual researchers seemed to be a conditioning factor for obtaining new grants/ fellowships. Funding was highly concentrated in the Southeast region, accounting for 84.4 % of total awards. There was a positive correlation between number of awards and amount awarded. The most frequently studied cancers were breast (11.8 %), head and neck (9.0 %) and skin cancer (5.3 %). Studies that did not specify the type of cancer accounted for 36.8 % of grants and 45.1 % of funding. Conclusion: The findings show a fall in the share of cancer research funding in the three largest funders. Cuts in government spending triggered by the country’s political and economic crisis, highlight the vulnerability of science and technology. Greater transparency through access to information on funding, researcher, and research profiles is key to obtaining a better understanding the cancer research funding landscape in Brazil and reducing regional inequalities. Policy summary: A more centralized management of public cancer research funding and constant investment and monitoring is needed to ensure the effective implementation of funding policy.