Trajectory of Discovery

What Determines the Rate and Direction of Medical Progress?

Häftad, Engelska, 2023

Av Mark P. Khurana, Mark P. (University of Copenhagen) Khurana, Mark P Khurana

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Medical research works in trajectories. Scientists and researchers must choose to pursue certain scientific pathways and omit others, limited by resources, attention, and time. The trajectory of medical progress is therefore characterized by two crucial characteristics: rate and direction. These two components form the foundation for this book - what are the forces that determine the rate and direction of progress in medicine? This book brings together the worlds of scientific policy, economics, sociology, philosophy, and innovation to describe why the world of medical research looks the way it does. The book also addresses fundamental contemporary issues in medicine, how they influence progress, and how we might improve medical research going forward. The contemporary issues discussed include: flawed incentive structures, a concentration of power and resources among few actors and disease groups, the potential distortionary effects of lobbying by different scientific actors, and missing novelty in drug development.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2023-04-13
Mått155 x 234 x 10 mm
Vikt270 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
Antal sidor192
FörlagCambridge University Press
ISBN9781009354431

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Part I. Incentives, Context and Capital: 1. Citations as currency; 2. Hacking statistics; 3. The allure of prizes; 4. Streetlight effects; 5. Patented and regulated progress; 6. Teams and diversity; Part II. The Financial Determinants of Discovery: 7. The research marketplace; 8. Winners take all; 9. Public service; 10. The medici model; 11. The goldilocks zone; 12. Kindling creativity; Part III. Bending the Arc: 13. Lobbying for change; 14. Scientific elasticity; 15. Death of a star // new kids on the block; 16. Great emergencies; 17. Fraudulent findings; 18. Serendipity; 19. Converging paths; Part IV. Reflecting on the Trajectory: 20. Civic engagement; 21. Uncertainty; 22. Commercialization and power; 23. Morality and progress.

'With engaging examples and a surprising breadth of research, The Trajectory of Discovery, brilliantly illuminates how both the rate and trajectory of medical research rests on the incentives built into the scientific system and the social context in which research takes place. Khurana deftly applies a host of classical and new findings from across scientometrics, sociology of science, and the economics of innovation to the medical area and highlight why we (don't) know what we (don't) know. Through examples, theory, and empirical research, the book argues that discovery rests crucially on the aggregated choices of many scientists, whose actions are shaped by the social logic of scientific system - a logic that is not necessarily optimized for this endeavor. It will be a great read for social scientists interested in the intricacies of medical science, or doctors in search for explanations of why science works the way it does.' Emil Bargmann Madsen, Postdoctoral Researcher, Danish Centre for Studies in Research and Research Policy, Aarhus University