Current Consultations
Research Australia regularly contributes to the policy discussions on issues pertinent to Health and Medical Research. This can be through submissions or participating in consultations.
The following lists both consultations and invitations to make submissions which are relevant to health and medical research and/or health and innovation policy in Australia. Research Australia updates this regularly but we may not participate in every one listed.
If you would like more information or you are aware of other consultations that should be included, please contact Greg Mullins, Head of Policy, Research Australia via email greg.mullins@researchaustralia.org or phone (03) 9662 9420.
Please click the heading in the left hand column to access consultation information from the relevant website.
Consultation |
Details |
National Preventive Health Strategy
Due 28 September |
the Australian Government is developing a 10-year National Preventive Health Strategy (the Strategy).
A Consultation Paper has been developed, which sets out what the Strategy will aim to achieve and conceptually how this might be done. Feedback on the Consultation Paper can be provided via an electronic survey. It will be used to inform the development of the Strategy. |
MRFF Priorities Consultation
Due 7 October 2020 |
The Australian Medical Research Advisory Board (AMRAB) is responsible for setting the five year strategy and two yearly Priorities that guide MRFF expenditure.
Consultation is now open to inform the development of the next Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities for 2020–22. Comments can be provided through online submissions and public webinars until 7 October 2020. Please contact Greg Mullins, Head of Policy at Research Australia at greg.mullins@researchaustralia.org if you would like to contribute to Research Australia’s submission. |
Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) Draft Guidelines
Due 12 October 2020
|
MSAC evaluates medical services, health technologies and health programs proposed for public funding, in order to advise the Minister for Health on whether a medical service, health technology or program should be publicly funded, and the circumstances under which it should be funded.
A review of the MSAC Guidelines (the Review) has commenced, to ensure assessment processes are aligned with best practice in health technology assessment of therapeutic and investigative medical technologies and services. The Draft Guidelines are now available for comment. |
Approval of new drugs and medical technologies
Due 13 October 2020 |
Following a referral on 13 August 2020 from the Minister for Health, The Hon Greg Hunt MP, the Committee is inquiring into approval processes for new drugs and novel medical technologies in Australia. The inquiry will consider the following topics:
1. The range of new drugs and emerging novel medical technologies in development in Australia and globally, including areas of innovation where there is an interface between drugs and novel therapies; 2. Incentives to research, develop and commercialise new drugs and novel medical technologies for conditions where there is an unmet need, in particular orphan, personalised drugs and off-patent that could be repurposed and used to treat new conditions; 3. Measures that could make Australia a more attractive location for clinical trials for new drugs and novel medical technologies; and 4. Without compromising the assessment of safety, quality, efficacy or cost-effectiveness, whether the approval process for new drugs and novel medical technologies, could be made more efficient, including through greater use of international approval processes, greater alignment of registration and reimbursement processes or post market assessment. |
Data Availability and Transparency Act
Due 6 November |
The Australian Government is consulting on an exposure draft of the new Data Availability and Transparency Act. This Act will manage how the Government makes datasets available, including to researchers.
The Government is also consulting on a discussion paper which will inform how researchers will be accredited under the Act for access to sensitive information, including health records. Submissions are open between 14 September and 6 November 2020. This legislation and the accreditation scheme for researchers are part of the Government’s’ response to the Productivity Commission review of Data Availability and Use, which recommended the Government make better use of datasets it holds and improve the availability of datasets to researchers. Health information and data was an area where the Productivity Commission identified some of the greatest economic and societal benefits from greater use of available data. |
R&D Tax Incentive Amendments Senate Inquiry
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On 6 February 2020, the Senate referred the Treasury Laws Amendment (Research and Development Tax Incentive) Bill 2019 to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 30 April 2020. This has now been extended to 12 October because of the impact of COVID-19 on the parliamentary schedule.
The Bill would amend the existing R&DTI scheme to, among other things, introduce a cap on the refundable R&DTI that can be claimed by a company (clinical trials are exempted) and an ‘intensity threshold’ that must be satisfied by larger companies. Research Australia has made a submission, available here. |
Select Committee on COVID-19
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On 8 April 2020, the Senate resolved to establish a Select Committee on COVID-19 to inquire into the Australian Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The terms of reference are very broad:
Research Australia has made a submission to the Inquiry, which is available here. The committee is to present its final report on or before 30 June 2022. |