What are funders doing to minimise waste in research?

The Lancet’s series of articles on reducing waste and increasing value in medical research were published in 2014(1-7). Subsequently, developments consistent with the recommendations made in the series were documented in an article based on informal enquiries made of research funders and regulators, researchers and research institutions, and journal editors (Moher et al 2016). We have explored in greater detail how the most influential of these ‘actors’ in the research community, the research funders, monitor and take steps to reduce waste in the research they support; and how they support methodology research (‘research on research’) and research infrastructure needed to show how waste can be reduced. We summarise out findings in this letter.