Collaboration and partnership in orthopaedics and musculoskeletal research: academia, industry, health services, and patients

Excerpt

The main activity of Orthopaedic Research UK (ORUK) is to provide funding to centres of excellence to conduct research in the field of orthopaedics, in order to benefit patients suffering from bone and joint disorders. However, the majority of the grants awarded will not make it to the market as products, surgical techniques or novel rehabilitation approaches. Therefore, in general, grants are made with no expectation of a financial return and very often with no measureable patient benefit. But in the event when the researchers manage to generate intellectual property (IP) and a commercial opportunity, it is expected that the funder should also share the financial benefits in order to reinvest the money back into its pursuit of its mission. …