October 2, 2017 – Indirect Costs

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Anchor lead: Exactly what are so-called "indirect" costs of medical and scientific research? Elizabeth Tracey reports

Biomedical research is expensive, but must be supported. That's the clear take home from Congress's recent action to preserve both so called 'direct' and 'indirect' costs in funding such research. Landon King, executive vice dean of Johns Hopkins Medicine, explains that 'indirect' costs keep the lights on, but serve a much more important function.

King: It's also a very highly regulated environment because of appropriate concerns around safety, more so it you're partnering in research with patients. There is a substantial cost associated with appropriately overseeing that research, recording that research, reporting on that research, and so the indirect cost is just as essential as the direct cost.  :29

So as the federal government searches for ways to trim the budget, don't be fooled by terminology like 'indirect' costs of research. At Johns Hopkins, I'm Elizabeth Tracey.