Scientific mobility drives U.S. advantage

WASHINGTON - Government policies and social norms that allow American academic researchers to become deeply involved with commercial enterprises are important reasons why the biotech industry has thrived in the U.S., according to a National Research Council (NRC) report.

Much of the success of the U.S. biotech industry can be attributed to "the fluid nature of the boundary between public and private research institutions," according to "U.S. Industry in 2000: Studies in Competitive Performance", issued by the NRC's Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy...