The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS) welcomes the Federal Government’s $1.89 billion investment in health and medical research through its Health Research for a Future Made in Australia package.
AAHMS President Professor Louise Baur said the Academy had long called for Australia to maximise the benefits of its investments in life-saving health and medical research, and for priority health areas to receive targeted funding.
“Australia’s health and medical research is world-leading, and strategic investment such as this allows us to fully realise the potential of that research,” Professor Baur said.
“This investment will drive innovation, improve productivity, and ultimately lead to better health outcomes for all Australians.
“The Academy has been a vocal advocate for the importance of targeted investment in health and medical research. We highlighted the need for a strategy such as this in our report on the benefits of integrating research into healthcare, and are pleased to see the Government develop a strategy that shares many of the key priorities we’ve highlighted.”
The need for better alignment and coordination of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is one of the consistent messages that AAHMS has heard from cross-sector leaders for ten years. We highlighted areas that could be addressed to improve alignment and coordination in our response to the Government’s 2023 consultation on this issue.
AAHMS welcomes the Government’s update on its development of a National Strategy for Health and Medical Research. Originally announced in 2021, this Strategy is urgently needed drive innovation, productivity and improved health outcomes for all Australians. AAHMS looks forward to working with Government, the research sector, and industry to develop a strategy capable of:
- Improving national coordination, including between funders
- Strengthening Australia’s health and medical research infrastructure
- Boosting our domestic commercialisation capacity
- Building a world-class health and medical research workforce
- Supporting First Nations-led research
- Ensuring and measuring research impact
AAHMS has been a strong advocate for Australia’s health and medical researchers, and outlined measures to support a skilled and enabled workforce in our report on the benefits of integrating research into healthcare. We welcome the Government’s investment in this vital workforce through the Health Research for a Future Made in Australia package, including measures to support emerging researchers.
The National One Stop Shop announced as part of this package has the potential to improve coordination between researchers and health providers. AAHMS welcomes this mechanism aimed at giving more patients access to innovative clinical trials and simplifying interstate research collaboration.
Media: AAHMS Head of Media and Communication Katie Rowney, [email protected] or P: 07 3102 7212 M: +61 (0) 419 787 551