Financing Biotechnology Databases
A Workshop organised by The Biotechnology Information
Strategic Forum, with support from DGXII of the Commission of the European
Communities, and held at Purmerend, The Netherlands, May 1997
The workshop - Financing Biotechnology Databases was held at
the Golden Tulip Hotel, Purmerend, The Netherlands in May 1997. It was organised
by The Biotechnology Information Strategic Forum, with support from DGXII of the
Commission of the European Communities.
Recommendations
- There is a central core of databases which are fundamental to international
biological and biotechnology research and development. Secure public funding
for these databases is essential to ensure access and quality. There needs to
be agreement at international level on how this policy will be achieved and
sustained, and on what databases are included in the core set.
- There is a second group of databases which can be successfully sustained
through normal market processes, as products of commercial and non-profit
entities. There is no place in this sector for core public funding of databases
which are then distributed free, undermining the viability of the healthy
private sector. There needs to be agreement at international policy level on
the exclusion of databases in this sector from core public funding.
- There is a third group of databases which are too small or which have too
small a user community to be commercially viable, and which are not part of the
core group for sustained public funding. In these cases, partnership between
the public and private sectors may offer opportunities for sustainability. The
principle of a public share in funding appropriate continuing operations, rather
than just initial development, needs to be accepted.
- Databases may belong to different groups during their life. Database
producers should therefore realise that they must adjust to different scientific
and market conditions as their project develops and matures. A framework to
guide and support such producers is required.
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