CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

There is tremendous disparity in scientific productivityamong nations, particularly in Latin America. At firstsight, this could be linked to the relative economic health ofthe different countries of the region, but even large and relativelyrich Latin American countries do not produce a goodlevel of science. Although Latin America has increased thenumber of its scientists and research institutions in recentyears, the gap between developed countries and LatinAmerican countries is startling. The prime importance of scienceand technology to the development of a nation remainsunacknowledged. The major factors contributing to low scientificproductivity are the limited access to grant opportunities,inadequate budgets, substandard levels of laboratory infrastructureand equipment, the high cost and limited supplyof reagents, and inadequate salaries and personal insecurity ofscientists. The political and economic instability in severalLatin America countries results in a lack of long-term goalsthat are essential to the development of science. In LatinAmerica, science is not an engine of the economy. Mostequipment and supplies are imported, and national industriesare not given the incentives to produce these goods at home. Itis a pity that Latin American society has become accustomedto expect new science and technological developments tocome from developed countries rather than from their ownscientists. In this article, we present a critical view of theLatin American investigator?s daily life, particularly in thearea of biomedicine. Too many bright young minds continueto leave Latin America for developed countries, where theyare very successful. However, we still have many enthusiasticyoung graduates who want to make a career in science andcontribute to society. Governments need to improve the statusof science for the sake of these young graduates who representthe intellectual and economic future of their countries