This publication aims to revive the research debate among policy makers and the research community. It evaluates progress towards meeting the needs of the NHS and examines the role of publicly financed health research alongside that played by the educational, commercial and voluntary sectors. Finally, it assesses the significance of changing public attitudes towards science in general , and health in particular, and considers whether the public is right to feel sceptical about recent research-based pronouncements such as those on BSE and the MMR vaccine.