ABSTRACT
To study in a systematic and dynamic manner the level, traits, and development tracks of scientific and technological achievements in medicine and health and related disciplinary fields in the past two decades, the paper conducted a statistical analysis of the winners of prizes awarded by the Ministry of Health for progress in science and technology from 1981 to 1999. The results showed that the number of prize winners presented the tendency of fluctuating increase with 4 to 5 years as a cycle; the quality of prize winners presented a downward tendency; and endocrinology, preclinical medicine, oncology and preventive medicine ranked in the first four places with their prize winners accounting for over half of the total. The academies of medical sciences, Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai, Beijing Medical University, Beijing, and the academies of preventive medical sciences won the most prizes in almost all the fields involved while the academies of medical sciences took the first place in one third of the disciplinary fields. The project index of institutions was 1.91. The study indicates the following musts: enhancing the quality of the bidding projects, reinforcing the strength of research, and implementing policies that favor key and brainstorm projects and key disciplines; supporting weak disciplines, intensifying the development of disciplines with unique features, and stepping up scientific cooperation; strengthening scientific and technological input and the construction of echelons of scientific and technological personnel and maintaining the continuity of research contingents and capabilities of various disciplinary fields.