Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola Fact Checked March 21, 2023
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
Under the 1984 Bayh-Dole Act, government scientists can collect royalties from drug
companies for discoveries they make while working on the public’s dime
Taxpayers fund government research, while Big Pharma, the National Institutes of Health
and NIH scientists keep all the profits
As a patent holder who profits from royalties, the NIH has a significant stake in
regulations that impact patents and vaccine mandates, and may use its influence to
benefit itself rather than the public
The NIH distributes $32 billion of taxpayer funds as research grants each year. As the
largest federal grant-maker, the NIH has a monopoly on what research gets done and
what doesn’t
Scientists vying for grants also recognize that in order to get funding, they have to play by
the rules, and that means doing work that supports establishment narratives on public
health policy