Comprehensive Measurement of Biomedical Research Productivity Across Input Markets

Develop a comprehensive measure of biomedical research productivity that integrates upstream input markets—including basic scientific studies and translational research prior to clinical trials—so that productivity can be rigorously assessed across the biomedical research pipeline and over time.

Background

The paper reassesses pharmaceutical sector productivity using a newly constructed census of clinical trials. While clinical trial quantity, quality, and composition appear stable since 2010, the authors note that upstream components of biomedical research—such as basic science and translational efforts—may influence overall productivity assessments. They emphasize that existing measures relying on publications or selected administrative data can be confounded by compositional shifts and reporting changes.

To advance beyond clinical trial–focused indicators, the authors call for a comprehensive measure that grapples with multiple input markets feeding into clinical trials and eventual drug approvals. Such a measure would help reconcile evidence across stages of the research pipeline and address longstanding measurement challenges in innovation studies.