News

It’s a year since Maire Geoghegan-Quinn stepped into her post, promising to be a woman of action. This week came the first concrete fruits of that pledge, with a pruning of R&D grant rules. But how much progress is the Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science judged to have made elsewhere?

The European Commission has opened an official consultation procedure, in preparation of possible changes to public procurement rules.

University College London cancer vaccines spin-out BioVex has been bought by US biotech company Amgen in deal worth up to $1 billion.

The European Patent Organisation has received 10% more applications last year, and expects a further increase in 2011.

Off-label and unauthorised drugs are still being prescribed, according to a European survey on use of medicines for children.

Economic recovery would benefit from greener, private investment encouraging, government policies, according to an academic report.

More R&D investment is needed to increase the world's food supplies, concludes a UK Government Office for Science report.