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Dr. Michael Guadagnino holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from the New York Institute of Technology and earned his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from New York Chiropractic College. He served as Vice President of Public Relations for the New Jersey Libertarian Party from 2017 to 2022. Dr. Guadagnino is the author of the best-selling book Fitness Over 50, 60, 70 and Beyond, available on Amazon and other major platforms. He also shares health and wellness insights on Instagram at @Dr._Guadagnino. As a regular guest contributor, Dr. Guadagnino writes on health care topics through the lens of personal freedom and individual liberty. |
In the United States, most medical research is influenced, directed, and funded by two powerful forces: the federal government and the pharmaceutical industry. Together, they shape not only what gets studied, but what ultimately reaches patients. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the largest public funder of biomedical research in the country, while major pharmaceutical companies provide enormous private funding for drug development and clinical trials. This relationship has created a system where public institutions and private corporations effectively control the direction of modern medicine.
The NIH primarily funds early stage research. Scientists apply for grants to study disease mechanisms, identify targets for treatment, and test initial concepts. This work is carried out in universities, teaching hospitals, and research institutes across the country. Because the NIH controls such a large portion of grant funding, it also influences what research topics are prioritized. Areas that align with mainstream models of disease and treatment, especially drug based solutions, are more likely to receive consistent funding than alternative or non pharmaceutical approaches.
Pharmaceutical companies step in once a discovery shows commercial potential. They fund later stage studies, large scale clinical trials, and regulatory approval processes. These stages are tremendously expensive and are rarely paid for by government grants alone. This means that if a potential therapy does not fit a profitable business model, it is far less likely to advance, even if it shows promise. As a result, the majority of treatments that reach the market are designed around patentable drugs rather than low-cost lifestyle, nutritional, or mechanical interventions.
This system creates an unavoidable conflict of interest. When the same industry that stands to profit from drugs also funds many of the studies that evaluate them, scientific objectivity can be compromised. Industry sponsored trials are more likely to produce outcomes favorable to the sponsor. While this does not mean that all research is fraudulent, it does mean that subtle bias can influence study design, data interpretation, and publication practices.
The NIH, despite being a public institution, is not immune to conflict concerns. Many NIH funded researchers also receive consulting fees, speaking honorariums, or research support from pharmaceutical companies. Some NIH scientists have later taken positions within the pharmaceutical industry, a phenomenon often referred to as the revolving door. This can blur the line between independent science and commercial interest.
Another area of concern lies with intellectual property. Under federal law, NIH funded discoveries can be licensed to private companies that then hold exclusive rights to sell resulting drugs. Taxpayer funded science can therefore become privately controlled medicine, with pricing determined by corporate strategy rather than public health need. Patients are left paying high prices for treatments that were built on research their own tax dollars helped support.
There is also a chilling effect on research that challenges the dominant model. Studies exploring non drug therapies, preventative care, or approaches that could reduce long term dependence on medications often struggle to attract large scale funding. This creates a system where the pipeline of medical innovation is heavily tilted toward pharmaceuticals, even when other interventions may be effective.
The core issue is not that collaboration exists, but that the balance of power is concentrated. When funding, regulation, and commercialization are controlled by a small group of institutions and corporations, diversity of scientific thought can be limited.
To summarize, Big Pharma and the NIH do not formally “own” medical research, but through funding power, regulatory cooperation, and intellectual property control, they strongly influence what is studied, what is published, and what treatments become standard of care. This structure creates built in conflicts of interest that deserve greater transparency and continued public scrutiny.