France biotech urges change

France needs to invest more in the life sciences and concentrate its efforts on developing two or three main biotech clusters if it is to strengthen its competitiveness, the French biotech industry will argue during consultation meetings with government officials over the next few weeks.

France Biotech, an umbrella group for Biotech firms, told The Scientist that it will be making its case for change in a series of discussions and debates as the French government prepares to draft legislation for a major overhaul of the country's national science strategy next spring.

The industry's recommendations, made jointly with the pharmaceutical industry group Les Entreprises du medicament, complement 24 proposals for reforming research that were put forward by French scientists in Grenoble last week.

Philippe Pouletty, the president of France Biotech, said that the scientific community in France had begun to organize itself to lobby the government more effectively....