US global share of biomedical research spending declines, as Asia gains

The USA’s global share of biomedical research spending fell from 51% in 2007 to 45% in 2012, while Japan and China saw dramatic increases in research spending.

R&D spending in the USA dropped from $131 billion to $119 billion, when adjusted for inflation, from 2007-2012, while Japan increased spending by $9 billion and China rose by $6.4 billion. Overall, Asia's share of spending grew from 18% to 24%. Europe held steady at 29%. Prior analyses have suggested the USA’s share of global expenditures were once as high as 80%.

Overall inflation-adjusted expenditures (calculated on the basis of 2012 currency values) increased by $6.3 billion (2.4%), from $262.1 billion to $268.4 billion. But these expenditures increased only in Asia–Oceania (from $41.1 billion to $62.0 billion), whereas they decreased in the USA (from $131.3 billion to $119.3 billion), Europe (from $83.6 billion to $81.8 billion), and Canada (from $6.0 billion to $5.3 billion).