[alan]

Does anybody understand the logic behind funding for research? Recently, there has been a lot of news coverage about the CERN project. Apparently they have spent £5 billion. I do not have any problems with this, in fact I welcome it.
However, it strikes me that it would be a good idea for governments to also fund research into disabilities such as spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis etc . The reason being from their point of view is because it is so expensive to look after people with these long-term neurological disorders. For the sake of investing a few million, they could potentially save billions and alleviate much unnecessary suffering. Surely proper funding and a proper co-ordinated plan would speed up the arrival of a cure.
There are precedents. Namely, man's race to the moon. All it took was a good plan, plenty of funding and a champion-JFK.
Why is it that charities such as the ISRT are wholly funded by charitable donations? Assuming that they are making real progress, why can't they receive central government funding?

What do other people think?

Alan