News by Subject Policy & Ethics

Discovering antiviral and anticancer drugs will soon be faster and cheaper thanks to new research from Simon Fraser University chemist Robert Britton and his international team.

Two new USC reports describe a challenging obstacle course for patients to access Alzheimer's disease treatments once they become available.

For scientists, engaging in commercial activities such as patenting and starting new ventures can be much more lucrative than relying on pure academic work. However, according to new research by ESMT Berlin, money is not the main reason why scientists choose to work on commercial activities. Motives such as social impact seem more important.

A new study that examined the effectiveness of anti-piracy efforts in the United Kingdom found that blocking websites can be effective but only when multiple channels are blocked. The website blocking policies in the UK caused a decrease in overall piracy and a 7 to 12% increase in the use of legal subscription sites.

New research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) recommends changes to the system which sees drug companies strike deals with competitors to stop them producing cheaper generic alternatives.

A new research study, investigating how service robots in hotels could help redefine leadership and boost the hospitality industry, has taken on new significance in the light of the seismic impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on tourism and business travel. The study by academics at The University of Surrey and MODUL University Vienna focuses on how HR experts perceive service robots and their impact on leadership and HR management in the hotel industry.

A new drug candidate is more likely to be approved for use if it targets a gene known to be linked to the disease; a finding that can help pharmaceutical companies to focus their drug development efforts. Emily King and colleagues from AbbVie report these findings in a new study published Dec. 12 in PLOS Genetics.

A recent letter in Science cited a lack of alternatives to trophy hunting. The authors suggested that bans on imports of hunting trophies would undermine biodiversity conservation efforts, but offered weak evidence of any positive conservation gains specific to trophy hunting. In a response published in the October 25, 2019 issue of Science, a group of scientists summarize evidence of negative effects of trophy hunting and offer more viable and equitable options.

Startups and entrepreneurs should spend the effort and money to obtain trademarks, because trademarks help them succeed in both product and financial markets, researchers say. Their paper, 'Trademarks in Entrepreneurial Finance,' is the first to study the role of trademarks for entrepreneurial firms, as most existing studies have focused on the role of patents. Trademarks help firms attract financing and are an important predictor of their success, both as private and public firms, they found.