Forty years of federal support for public health research through the Department of National Health and Welfare.

This paper traces: (a) the development, to the present day, of federal support for public health research in Canada, from its early beginnings under the Public Health Research Grant in 1948, and since 1975 through the National Health Research and Development Program (NHRDP); and (b) the influence that "New Perspectives" (1974) and "Achieving Health For All" (1986) have had on the evolution of the program. Other initiatives taken by the federal government during the past 40 years related to health/medical research in Canada are also indicated. Current NHRDP programs and policies are described, as are the mechanisms used by the NHRDP to fulfill its mandate for stimulating research in areas related to national health objectives.