Citizen expectations of 'academic entrepreneurship' in health research: public science, practical benefit.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Responsiveness to citizens as users of technological innovation helps motivate translational research and commercial engagement among academics. Yet, retaining citizen trust and support for research encourages caution in pursuit of commercial science.

Objectives

We explore citizen expectations of the specifically academic nature of commercial science [i.e. academic entrepreneurship (AE)] and the influence of conflict of interest concerns, hopes about practical benefits and general beliefs.

Design, setting and participants

We conducted a cross-sectional national opinion survey of 1002 Canadians online in 2010.

Results

Approval of AE was moderate (mean 3.2/5, SD 0.84), but varied by entrepreneurial activity. Concern about conflict of interests (COI) wa

SUBMITTER: Miller FA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5810666 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature