Biotechnology and research: promise and problems

Biotechnology has expanded greatly during the last two decades. This expansion is due to worldwide investment in basic biomedical research. The new knowledge generated by this investment has led to a bounty of potential applications for improvement of health, which are being explored for commercial purposes by the biotechnology industry. Private investment is thus ever present in development of these biotechnological products. All these factors raise important questions, including increasing concerns about intellectual property and conflict of interest. As this expansion continues, the established processes of peer review should be strengthened.