Abstract: Meeting the newly-formed Biomed Alliance, the European Commission's Director of Health Research and Innovation, Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, said that “unless investment is maintained… on the entire path from academics to small and medium enterprises and industry, we risk falling behind” (Feb 12, p 541).1Kirby T European societies form biomedical alliance.Lancet. 2011; 377: 541-542Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (3) Google Scholar The European Commission's Advisory Board on Health, which promotes biomedical research, also recommends “funding and reward systems for small and medium-sized enterprises”.2European Commission Science Advisory Board in HealthEurope and the century of biomedical discovery and implementation.Lancet. 2011; 377: 719-720Summary Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (2) Google Scholar Most of the Biomed Alliance's member organisations indicate industry sponsorship on their web pages, although there is limited transparency on donations. To what extent now is European biomedical research linked to commercial objectives?Health research requires social as well as natural sciences, because many diseases have behavioural and environmental causes and because health systems are needed to deliver prevention and care. Health research does not produce patents: the benefits accrue to society as a whole. Under the European Union (EU) Treaty of Lisbon,3European UnionTreaty of Lisbon.http://europa.eu/lisbon_treaty/full_text/index_en.htmGoogle Scholar Article 179 promotes research for all areas of European policy, whereas Article 168 clearly states EU policy for public health rather than biomedicine. A new internet portal4European CommissionResearch & innovation—health.http://ec.europa.eu/research/health/public-health/index_en.htmlGoogle Scholar presents public health projects funded through 4 years of the EU 7th Framework Research Cooperation programme. But financial support is now very low: in 2011, non-biomedical research in Europe received just €26 million (4%) of thetotal €642 million.The European Commission has launched a public consultation on research.5European CommissionConsultation: green paper on a common strategic framework for future EU research and innovation funding.http://ec.europa.eu/research/csfri/index_en.cfm?pg=homeGoogle Scholar Academics, practitioners, and the public can respond, and call for better coordination between governments and better health research to serve the interests of all people in Europe as well as patients and patents.I declare funding support from competitive research grants from the European Commission. Meeting the newly-formed Biomed Alliance, the European Commission's Director of Health Research and Innovation, Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, said that “unless investment is maintained… on the entire path from academics to small and medium enterprises and industry, we risk falling behind” (Feb 12, p 541).1Kirby T European societies form biomedical alliance.Lancet. 2011; 377: 541-542Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (3) Google Scholar The European Commission's Advisory Board on Health, which promotes biomedical research, also recommends “funding and reward systems for small and medium-sized enterprises”.2European Commission Science Advisory Board in HealthEurope and the century of biomedical discovery and implementation.Lancet. 2011; 377: 719-720Summary Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (2) Google Scholar Most of the Biomed Alliance's member organisations indicate industry sponsorship on their web pages, although there is limited transparency on donations. To what extent now is European biomedical research linked to commercial objectives? Health research requires social as well as natural sciences, because many diseases have behavioural and environmental causes and because health systems are needed to deliver prevention and care. Health research does not produce patents: the benefits accrue to society as a whole. Under the European Union (EU) Treaty of Lisbon,3European UnionTreaty of Lisbon.http://europa.eu/lisbon_treaty/full_text/index_en.htmGoogle Scholar Article 179 promotes research for all areas of European policy, whereas Article 168 clearly states EU policy for public health rather than biomedicine. A new internet portal4European CommissionResearch & innovation—health.http://ec.europa.eu/research/health/public-health/index_en.htmlGoogle Scholar presents public health projects funded through 4 years of the EU 7th Framework Research Cooperation programme. But financial support is now very low: in 2011, non-biomedical research in Europe received just €26 million (4%) of thetotal €642 million. The European Commission has launched a public consultation on research.5European CommissionConsultation: green paper on a common strategic framework for future EU research and innovation funding.http://ec.europa.eu/research/csfri/index_en.cfm?pg=homeGoogle Scholar Academics, practitioners, and the public can respond, and call for better coordination between governments and better health research to serve the interests of all people in Europe as well as patients and patents. I declare funding support from competitive research grants from the European Commission.