Health & Medical Research Public Opinion Poll 2004

Research Australia’s third annual Health and Medical Research Public Opinion Poll, conducted by TNS, surveyed a national sample of 1,005 Australians aged 16 years and over using TNS’s PhoneBus between 27 and 29 August 2004. Seventy-six per cent of respondents were interested in health and medical research and 72% believed it had made a difference to their lives, most often through disease prevention programs (43%). Sixty-one per cent donated to health and medical research, mainly to disease-specific charities, while among non-donors 74% cited government responsibility and 74% support for charities in other areas. Forty-nine per cent said a commitment to increase research funding would influence their vote positively, against 5% negatively, and 47% preferred surplus government funds go to health and medical research compared with 22% who preferred a tax cut. Seventy-two per cent agreed the Federal Government should provide tax incentives for multinational biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to conduct research and development in Australia, and 63% supported higher tax concessions for companies investing in research. Fifty-nine per cent would agree to take part in a clinical trial, 20% would not and 21% were unsure, with worry about unproven experimental treatments the leading concern among those unwilling (72%). Knowledge of Australian achievements was limited: 54% did not recognise any named Australian Nobel Prize winner, although 60% knew the bionic ear was developed in Australia. The poll also covered information sources, researcher salaries and the cost of new medicines.