U.S. Biomedical Science and Technology

Abstract

Citizens of the United States and other developed countries have very high expectations about health care. In consequence, an increasing proportion of these nations' gross national products (GNPs) are devoted to medicine, and the health care industry is fast becoming a major part of the world economy. In the United States, spending on health care and health care technology could become a large drain on the national economy in the next century; alternatively, the trend toward greater spending worldwide could boost the U.S. economy if the nation becomes a net exporter of health care expertise and technology. The authors analyze the complex factors iinportant to a vital health care industry, compare aspects related to international competitiveness, and make policy recommendations for the future.