但是，在美国，大部分卫生相关研发活动的实际出资者是政府 — — 或是通过公共支持（美国国家卫生研究院、国家科学基金会等）直接提供资金，或是通过药品公共采购（如医疗保险和医疗补助计划）间接提供资金。
But, in the United States, it is actually the government that finances most health-related research and development – directly, through public support (National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation), and indirectly, through public purchases of medicine, both in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.