Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

NIH: Fogarty International Center NIH: Fogarty International Center
Advancing Science for Global Health
Advancing Science for Global Health
Home > Global Health Matters Sep/Oct 2020 > US leadership in research and development is slipping, a new report warns Print

NIH Websites Are Changing

NIH is moving the launch of its new website to the fall to ensure the best possible experience for everyone who relies on our websites for health information, research, funding opportunities, and other resources.

Get the Latest Updates and FAQs

US leadership in research and development is slipping, a new report warns

September / October 2020 | Volume 19, Number 5

Global Expenditures in R&D in billions

Graph of gross expenditures in R&D in billions of dollars ofr US and China from 1992 through 2022. U.S. leads until after 2017.
Source: The Perils of Complacency: America at a Tipping Point in Science
and Engineering, Figure 1: Gross Expenditures in R&D in billions of 2019
constant PPP US

U.S. leadership in research and development (R&D) is waning while China's is on the rise, according to a new study from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and Rice University.

China is increasing its R&D investment by double-digit percentages each year while the U.S. has fallen to tenth place among OECD nations in investment in R&D, measured as a fraction of GDP, according to the report. The lag in U.S. funding is exacerbated by current strains on the research system and higher education, COVID-19, restrictions on foreign researchers and proposed cuts to federal investment in research, the study authors say.

More Information

To view Adobe PDF files, download current, free accessible plug-ins from Adobe's website.