Our Dr. Bloom calls attention to America s disappearing scientists

By ACSH Staff — Jun 24, 2011
Writing in today s New York Post, ACSH s Dr. Josh Bloom points out a troubling trend that may be hindering America s ability to compete globally on the scientific front: science jobs are quickly vanishing in the U.S. As large pharmaceutical companies, starved for revenue, continue to absorb smaller ones, jobs are lost each time. Independent of this, many more research jobs are now being outsourced to China and India. Dr.

Writing in today s New York Post, ACSH s Dr. Josh Bloom points out a troubling trend that may be hindering America s ability to compete globally on the scientific front: science jobs are quickly vanishing in the U.S. As large pharmaceutical companies, starved for revenue, continue to absorb smaller ones, jobs are lost each time. Independent of this, many more research jobs are now being outsourced to China and India. Dr. Bloom, himself a former pharmaceutical research chemist, observes, For years we ve been hearing the mantra America needs more scientists. That s all well and good, unless you happen to already be one. Then you ll see that the reality couldn t be more different. In The Post, he continues:

Employment in many industries is cyclical, but in the pharmaceutical industry the cycle has come to a halt. Dozens of smaller drug companies no longer exist, thanks to mergers and takeovers. Site closings usually follow a merger, so research infrastructure is vanishing, too. Labs are shuttered, sold to universities or torn down to save on property taxes and maintenance costs. These are gone for good.

We don't need more scientists not unless there are jobs for them.
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