Funding health research

Barack Obama’s injection of US$10 billion into health and medical research as part of a new stimulus package is a signpost for Australian efforts to stimulate our economy.

“The US government is investing heavily in health and medical research to drive jobs and make new medical breakthroughs. Despite calls from the research sector, Australia’s stimulus packages have not included any new funding for health and medical research,” said Research Australia CEO Rebecca James.

Research Australia is concerned that the Australian government will cut $234 million of funding to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in the next budget.

If this happens, funding for the NHMRC will flat-line from next year, with no continuation of the last 10 years of growth. Research Australia calls on the government to preserve funding for the NHMRC committed in the 2006–07 Budget and to further double funding to $1.4 billion by 2014–15.

“The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission's report, released this February, identified research as a driver of excellence in our healthcare system. Improving health relies on better know-how,” said James.

The government needs to act swiftly on investing in health services research, full funding for research costs and supporting research training.

“Health and medical research is a sure-fire way of creating highly skilled jobs and producing the new knowledge that will make us healthier and more productive,” said James.

The Obama administration’s new funding for the National Institutes of Health, the leading agency for health and medical research in the US, includes US$7.4 billion for distribution to supported institutes and centres and US$1.3 billion for construction and equipment.