The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Science has made a submission to the Australian Government’s Health and Medical Research Office (HMRO) survey on the development of Australia’s first National Health and Medical Research Strategy.
The submission highlights the need for a transformative National Health and Medical Research Strategy designed to secure Australia’s leadership in health innovation, strengthen the research workforce, and drive economic prosperity through sustained investment in health and medical research.
“Our submission is a call to action for a bold, coordinated approach that embeds research as a core function of our healthcare system,” said Academy President Professor Louise Baur AM. “We need to recognise as a nation, that every dollar invested in health and medical research not only saves lives but also produces significant economic returns, and creates high-value, knowledge-based jobs”.
The Academy welcomes the survey as an early opportunity to provide input to the HMRO as it develops the National Strategy and the chance to contribute to their important work. Through the survey the HMRO has identified a set of important focus areas that are critical and interdependent in forging a robust Strategy.
The Academy’s submission stresses the need for the Strategy to bring together strategic funding across the research pipeline, a well-supported workforce, and targeted resourcing for regional, rural, and remote areas. Additionally, the commercialisation and translation of research outcomes depend on effective funding, which generate re-investable returns that drive innovation.
“This is why the Academy has urged a holistic, actionable strategy that safeguards the independence and resilience of Australian health research by embedding it as a core function of our healthcare system”.
“This approach will support areas of national strength and unmet need, address systemic hurdles such as funding disparities and gender inequities, and ensure our sector continues to deliver tangible health and economic benefits for all Australians”. Said Professor Baur.
The Academy will continue to work with policy and decision-makers to ensure the delivery of a national strategy that is bold, integrated, and transformative in advancing health outcomes and national prosperity.
The Academy’s submission can be read here.
Media: Khaled Chakli via email [email protected] or phone 0423 099 568.