Besides this, the Spanish are going to support this year's tough budget constraints on health status because the Government has also made cuts in funding for the NHS, approximately 380 million €, which will impact negatively in basic medical research, public health, clinical medicine and health services.

What these cuts mean for the future of Spain?

When asked to walk on españolitos of public funding of medical research, whether in the opinion polls or in casual conversation, the overwhelming response is that medical research is a necessary investment.

However, in 2011, the National Government has once again reduced the money for medical research, becoming one of the sectors most affected by the General State Budget for this 2011.

Recently, many governments around the world have been forced to make difficult decisions to cut spending. Conservative-Liberal coalition of the UK government is preparing tough spending cuts to offset the debt of that country.

The field of medical research in a desperate struggle to avoid funding cuts, prepared public demonstrations under the slogan "Science is vital."

Medical research in the UK has been spared budget cuts. "Research ... is vital to our future economic success," said Finance Minister George Osborne.

"We've been warning our colleagues regularly about the importance of R & D on their own budgets," said David Willetts, the UK Minister of University and Science.

In addition, the British government has decided that funding for medical research must be stable in real terms and protected from inflation, over the next four years.

Similarly, United States, dragging a large budget deficit, speaking through its president Obama has reiterated that research is an "investment base" necessary for economic growth and job creation and investment in research has broad support from the American public.

The stark reality is that it is expected that in three research projects presented, considered worthy of funding, two are rejected for lack of funds. The Government has not sufficiently evaluated research, due to the high quality of its researchers, should have got more support.

The weight of this budget cut will be borne by younger scientists. They are the researchers most vulnerable to shortages of funds and are also more likely to go abroad, a more stable work environments, or leave his job as a researcher. Thus research in Spain will lose, as usual, its greatest minds.

Spain is at an inflection point where we either are strongly committed to research, or are we doomed to become a second-rate country. The government should be aware that their decision is determining the future of Spain.

Medical Research Is an economic luxury?

A rigorous analysis shows that it is not the case. In fact, public investment in the sector of medical research in Spain offers significant economic return.

At a time when we are approaching the important economic challenge of maintaining the health of an aging population, it is reasonable that Spain invested in medical research that will ultimately reduce healthcare costs.

The outlook is very bleak. With this cut in 2011 on the already reduced budget, we are entering a stage of irreversible degradation of our system of R & D.