RESUMEN
Background: In Chile, researchers can apply to public research funds through specific research projects and must compete with other professionals of other disciplines. Aim: To perform a critical assessment of the allocation of public funds for health research in Chile by a public institution called CONICYT. Material and Methods: A database was constructed with health projects financed by CONICYT, between 2002 and 2006. Projects were classified (according to their titles) in three methodological categories and nine topics. Age, gender and region where the main researcher is based, were also recorded. Results: 768 research projects were analyzed. Biomedical, clinical and public health research projects accounted for 66, 24 and 10 percent of allocated funds, respectively. Main researchers were female in 31 percent of projects, their mean age was 52 years and 76 percent worked in the Metropolitan region. Conclusions: These results show that some objectives of the National Research System lead by CONICYT, such as using research as a tool for regional development and allocating funds for conditions with a large burden, are not been met.