When Companies Fund Research, the Truth Often Comes Last

Researchers are being forced into a job market where their findings get buried if they expose dangers or problems

Researchers now face the ugly prospect of doing research that will only be used if it doesn't offend the funder. Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

This article is part of a series on academic freedom where leading academics from around the world write on the state of free speech and inquiry in their region.

Over the last two decades, industry funding for medical research has increased globally, while government and non-profit funding has decreased. By 2011, industry funding, compared to public sources, accounted for two-thirds of medical research worldwide.