Summary:
It is thought that Brazilian basic research activities are predominant in relation to those of an applied nature. An opportunity to test the validity of mis affirmation was made available by the analysis of the distribution of National Research Council resources in the year 1980. Of the amount applied in health sciences, which represents 1/4 of the total for all areas, it was estimated that 81% was allocated to finance projects in basics areas and 19% to applied investigations. These results although limited to only one of the research funding agencies tend to confirm the prepoderance of basic compared to applied research.