These two functions are fundamentally different. Basic biomedical research can be, and always should be, as rigorous, specific, and precise in its observations and reports as any of the hard sciences (classical physics, chemistry, and biology). The education of scientists who carry out such research is long and arduous. Only people who are able and willing to submit to the discipline demanded by the specialty they choose to study can hope to make some meaningful contributions by their research.
The second function, the application of the findings of basic medical scientists to the health care and disease prevention of all U.S. citizens, demands a more egalitarian approach. Sociological, demographic, and even political factors must be considered. As a result, such studies often involve many investigators with diverse backgrounds, and the results of these studies are generally not as clear-cut as those of the basic scientists. Moreover, most of these results ...
