Global funding for surgical research between 2016 and 2020: content analysis of public and philanthropic investments

Abstract

Background: surgery is an intrinsic component of healthcare, estimated to be involved in the treatment of 28-32% of the global burden of disease. Research is crucial to improving the quality of surgical care and thus patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to analyse global patterns of public and philanthropic investment in surgical research.

Methods: publicly available databases of human surgical research funding awards between 2016 and 2020 were searched. Awards were categorized by surgical specialty, cross-cutting research theme, and phase of research.

Results: a total of 8042 awards were identified, with a total investment of $3.48 billion between 2016 and 2020 (approximately $0.7 billion annually), contrasting with $24.5 billion for cancer research in the same interval. Preclinical research received most of the funding ($2.46 billion (70.7%)), clinical trials received $0.72 billion (20.6%), and public health research received $0.30 billion (8.6%). By cross-cutting research theme, the largest investment was into intraoperative research ($1.4 billion (40.94%)), followed by postoperative research ($0.76 billion (21.9%)), preoperative/neoadjuvant studies ($0.43 billion (12.3%)), and interventional radiology ($0.04 billion (1.2%)). Global surgery was the least well-funded area of research ($0.03 billion (0.8%)).

Conclusion: surgical research remains underfunded in comparison with other specialties, with most investment directed towards preclinical research, not directly involving patients. Only a small proportion was invested in clinical trials, public health, and global surgery. These findings limit the impact of surgical research on improving population health and contrast starkly with the ubiquity of surgical treatments in the management of the global burden of disease. Urgent prioritization of surgical research and evaluation of priorities in research investment are required, to reflect surgery's pivotal role in global healthcare.

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