PRODUCTIVITY VERSUS PROMISED RESULTS - ONE OF THE DILEMMAS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN BRAZIL

In 1983 a new funding program - PADCT (''Programa de Apoio ao Desenvol vimento Cientifico e Tecnoldgico'') - was created in Brazil to stimula te the development of research projects related to what was establishe d as technological priorities. In this paper 3 features of the Biotech nology/Health subprogram of PADCT were studied: a) to what extent prod uctivity of the leaders of the research projects affected the way they were evaluated by the award panel, b) the conflict of interests that might result from the composition of the award panel, and c) the final impact of the program on science and technology. In our sample of 210 submitted projects, 62 were funded. The data suggest that the selecti on of projects did not ensure a better funding for the more productive research leaders. The presence on the award panel of at least one mem ber from the same institution of a given project increased the chance of its approval but, after approval, it had no influence on the amount of funds granted. In a subsample of 21 scientists, support to 24 proj ects did not increase the productivity level and 4 products in a preli minary phase of development were reported. The issue of trying to solv e problems in areas where there is no established scientific competenc e is discussed.