In May 2022, the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences released a statement ahead of the 2022 Federal Election. The statement focused on the need for strategic investment in Australia’s health and medical research sector to mitigate major health challenges.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, health and medical research has been in the global spotlight. In Australia, the path through the pandemic has been heavily reliant on our world-class health and medical research sector, which has provided timely, reliable and effective solutions.

These solutions did not just appear overnight. Past government investment has paid dividends. COVID-19 provides an example of how smart, strategic investment in health and medical research and innovation can provide the foundations to navigate Australia through significant health challenges.

While the efforts of our health and medical research community have been crucial, the pandemic has also exposed a number of key gaps across that sector that have prevented—and will continue to prevent—Australia from leading the world in research and innovation.

As we move beyond the pandemic, the next Australian government has a unique opportunity to maximise the impact of health and medical research, and mitigate major health challenges by:

• Embedding research and innovation in the health system
• Investing strategically in health and medical research
• Building cross-sector linkages and growing commercialisation capacity
• Tackling health inequalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Protecting the health of Australians from climate change

Download the full statement below or read the media release.