Health tops Danish agenda

KOGE. Denmark hopes to lead the world in health research in five fields following a strategy assessment.

The government is ploughing an extra DKr200 million (Pounds 23 million) and a large proportion of existing health research cash into the study of genetic technologies and therapies; disease prevention; psychiatry and neuro-research; new and improved methods of treatment and assessment of existing methods; and health service research, which examines the financing and efficiency of the sector and assesses the needs of patients and society.

Research minister Frank Jensen said that the selection of target areas was based on an assessment of "where Denmark can be an international leader, because a small country can't be world champion in everything".

Other criteria for the decision were the chances of a breakthrough in the area, the utility value of the research, and the availability of qualified researchers. The assessment was conducted by the national strategy committee for the health sciences and a ministry of research committee.

"The quality of health research is vital to the complete health sector and thus to the welfare of the people," Mr Jensen said. "We have placed emphasis on ailments that affect Danes now and will affect them in the future. Prevention has been given a high priority because it is far more expensive to cure than to prevent."

The health sciences research council has decided that 25 per cent of its funds will be directed to the five areas, rising to 50 per cent in the future.