Canadian HIV Trials Network, University of British Columbia/St Paul's Hospital, 620-1081 Burrard Street, BC, V6Z 1Y6, Vancouver, Canada.
Drug development has accelerated exponentially since the 1950s. It is difficult to estimate the relative contributions or rates of success of industry sponsored as opposed to government supported research in any field. However, it is clear that much of the therapeutic innovation of recent decades has emerged from biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry sponsored efforts. This sponsorship is leading to new stresses in the relationship between academic institutions and industry.