Basic research and health: a reassessment of the scientific basis for the support of biomedical science

The bibliographic details of research papers underpinning five clinical advances in neonatal intensive care were collated and analysed using applied bibliometric techniques. After a time-lag of about 17 years, between 2% and 21% of research underpinning clinical advances in NIC could be described as basic. This observation is at odds with Comroe and Dripps' 1976 finding.