This report publishes the results of a survey of organisations that fund genomics research throughout the world, and was produced for an international conference hosted by the Global Forum for Health Research and the World Health Organisation. It provides an analysis of funding and links it to current (at September 2000) trends that include private sector research and development funding, patent ownership and the market value of publicly traded firms.

Findings include: the private sector is a larger funder of genomics than the public sector; the majority of genomics funding goes to the United States; ownership of patents and other intellectual property is heavily concentrated in the United States.

The report concludes that the focus in genomics research has been to create valubale data rather than to consider a balanced distribution of benefits among the world's population. This lack of focus at the international level has meant that the initial technological fruits of genomics are likely to consist primarily of therapeutic and diagnostic applications for conditions affecting rich countries.

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