RESEARCH AUSTRALIA WELCOMES APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR & TERMS OF REFERENCE OF STRATEGIC EXAMINATION R&D

The national peak body for health and medical research innovation, Research Australia, welcomes today’s government announcement of the Strategic Examination of Research and Development (R&D) Chair, Ms Robyn Denholm and the Terms of Reference.

More than a quarter (26%) of all Australian R&D is spent on health and medical research innovation and development (HMRI&D), accounting for $10 billion. HMRI&D accounts for more than one third (35%) of all R&D expenditure in higher education institutions. Over 30% of all HMR expenditure is within the private sector.

Investing strategically in Australia’s HMRI&D – across the entire pipeline – is critical. Investing strategically in Australia’s HMRI&D not only contributes to a healthy nation but also a healthy economy. It will improve our health outcomes now, and will set us up for future generations. It is because of this, Research Australia reiterates the call the Strategic Examination R&D must include a dedicated focus on health and medical research innovation and development.

Research Australia’s CEO, Nadia Levin highlights the crucial timing of the Strategic Review, “the review is being undertaken during the same period as the development of the National Health and Medical Research Strategy. These two national processes offer a once in a generation reform process to take a whole of government, including across portfolios and jurisdictions, and whole of pipeline approach to health and medical research. Both the Chairs need to work with the sector to ensure we bring our insights to this opportunity with enthusiasm and commitment.”

Ms Levin explains the focus the reforms need to take, “Australia needs to mobilise the disparate parts of the pipeline, activate policy implementation and remove barriers for the sector to thrive, and ignite the urgency of doing this now. The health and medical research innovation pipeline, including the policy and funding landscape, needs to be truly collaborative, transparent and competitive.”

Research Australia, as the national peak representing the entire pipeline – including universities, medical research institutes, health services and systems, industry and community/consumer groups – is looking forward to working closely with both the Strategic Examination and the National Strategy, focusing on the following four key priorities:

1. Australia needs to create momentum through a whole of pipeline and government approach, across portfolios and jurisdictions, by putting research, development and innovation at the heart of all government policy.

2. Australia needs smarter investment to remain globally competitive. We need to fund the full costs of research including infrastructure; we need a measurable pathway to R&D investment of 3% of GDP; and we need to incentivise the growth opportunities for our venture capitalists and develop companies that are attractive to private equity, are an integral part to any economic growth strategy. In addition, the Government should use its significant procurement power to support local health and medical research manufacturers to bring their products to market sooner and importantly, stay in Australia.

3. Australia needs a national health and medical research workforce plan that has a long-term vision with immediate incentives for, strengthening, boosting and building capacity across the current workforce. The focus needs to be on early-mid career development; clinician researchers; circular mobility; and creating the conditions for a research-active workforce.

4.Improving health outcomes requires investment in advancing prevention as well as a focus on how health and medical research innovation and development contributes back to policy platforms like climate change, cost of living, including poverty, global health and geopolitics.

Achieving equitable health outcomes through equity in HMRI&D underpins all four priorities.

Research Australia, on behalf of our members across the whole health and medical research pipeline congratulates and looks forward to working with Ms Robyn Denham and the other panel members.

AUSTRALIA’S HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH INNOVATION CELEBRATED AT RESEARCH AUSTRALIA’S 21st ANNUAL AWARDS GALA DINNER

The nation’s leading health and medical researchers, innovators and advocates have been recognised at Research Australia’s 21^st Health and Medical Research Awards Gala Dinner this evening in Melbourne.

Research Australia’s CEO Nadia Levin reflected on the importance of the Awards. “They honour and celebrate Australia’s outstanding researchers and innovators, and those who support their work across the health and medical research innovation pipeline – whether that be in transformative research, or impactful data innovations. The fact all awards are nominated by sector peers significantly recognises how exceptional these nominees are in contributing to national and global health outcomes.

As the national peak body for the entire health and medical research innovation pipeline, Research Australia views the awards as a celebration of what is working well across the pipeline.

Ms Levin in her speech highlighted some of the current complexities and opportunities in the sector. “We recognise that researchers and innovators are working in a rapidly changing landscape. National and global challenges are becoming more complex. It is imperative that our sector, including the policy and funding landscapes, mobilises the disparate parts of our pipeline, activates the implementation of the policy levers and removes barriers for research and innovation to thrive; and ignites the urgency of getting this done now.

“Right now, we have the unique opportunity to reform and reimagine a whole of system that sets up a future Australia. One that is responsive, affordable, and sustainable, but also one that enables Australia to reach its potential as a health and medical research innovation global leader. The calibre of the nominees, finalists, highly commended and winners demonstrates Australia’s exceptional talent and our broader potential in health innovation.”

The prestigious Peter Wills Medal, which recognises an individual who has made an outstanding, long-term contribution to building Australia’s international reputation in areas of health and medical research and fostering collaboration for better health, was presented by Research Australia Chair, Martin Bowles AO PSM to Clyde Campbell AM. Mr Campbell founded Shake It Up Australia Foundation, in partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation, following a diagnosis Parkinson’s at age 44. The Foundation aims to increase awareness and funding for Parkinson’s research to prevent, slow and stop the progression of the disease and ultimately lead to a cure. Australia is renowned globally for leading researchers and innovators specialising in Parkinson’s.

Research Australia’s premium event partner was the University of Melbourne, and the award sponsors included Australian National University, AbbVie, the Victorian Government Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions, Digital Health CRC and GSK.

Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, and Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health, the Hon Ged Kearney delivered a keynote address at last night’s event. Attendees also heard from Deputy Premier of Victoria, the Hon Ben Carroll MP, Senator the Hon Anne Ruston, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, and Senator Steph Hodgins-May, Greens Spokesperson for Industry, Innovation and Science.

A full list of winners follows.

2024 Award Winners

Peter Wills Medal: Created in honour of Research Australia’s founder, Peter Wills AC, the Peter Wills Medal is the flagship award and recognises someone who has made an outstanding, long-term contribution to building Australia’s international reputation in areas of health and medical research and fostering collaboration for better health.

Winner – Mr Clyde Campbell AM (Shake It Up Foundation)

Discovery Award (sponsored by Victorian Government Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions): This Award recognises an early career researcher (anytime from qualification but no more than 5 years past PhD) whose paper/patent/discovery has already demonstrated its importance or impact.

Winner – Dr Mustafa Atee (The Dementia Centre, HammondCare)

Great Australian Philanthropy Award: This Award profiles personal philanthropy that is outstanding in its generosity, effectiveness, vision, high impact and transformative quality. The Award recognises and encourages personal philanthropic donations over a period of time by an individual or family to Australian health and medical research.

Winner – Paul and Sue Taylor

Advocacy Award (sponsored by AbbVie): This Award recognises and congratulates exceptional contributions made by research champions who help raise community awareness and understanding of the importance of health and medical research.

Winner – Dr Jane Tiller (Monash University)

Frontiers Research Award (sponsored by Australian National University): This Award recognises transformative research that could revolutionise health outcomes in Australia and internationally.

Winner – Centre for Microbiome Research (Queensland University of Technology)

Digital and Data Innovation Award (sponsored by Digital Health CRC): This Award recognises an individual or team whose innovation is considered to represent one of the most impactful new data innovations in the health and medical research sector within the past five years.

Winner – The RMIT University-Telstra Health-Digital Health CRC project team

Health Services Research Award: This Award is for an individual or team who has provided leadership and made an outstanding contribution to health services research; driven research that has led to a significant improvement in healthcare; and/or has championed the development of the health services research field.

Winner – Professor Christobel Saunders AO (The University of Melbourne)

GSK Award for Research Excellence: The GSK Award for Research Excellence recognises outstanding achievements in medical research with a focus on improving human health.

This is one of the most prestigious and long-standing awards available to the Australian research community. GSK Australia is proud of its research legacy, having now presented the Award for Research Excellence for more than 40 years, supporting local research and helping to improve health outcomes for patients in Australia and around the world. This year’s award is accompanied by a grant of $100,000 to advance the winner’s research.

Winner – Professor Matthew Kiernan AM (Neuroscience Research Alliance)

NATIONAL PEAK BODY FOR HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH WELCOMES APPOINTMENT OF STRATEGY CHAIR

The national peak body for health and medical research innovation, Research Australia, welcomes the appointment of Rosemary Huxtable AO PSM to lead the development of the National Health and Medical Research Strategy.

Research Australia has led the call for the development of such a strategy emphasising the need to facilitate coordinated, sustainable investment in research; strengthen the connection between research and healthcare; and support emerging innovative health industries.

Developing the National Health and Medical Research Strategy provides an opportunity to bring a whole of pipeline and whole of governments approach to health and medical research. However, Research Australia reiterates the call that the strategy must include innovation and industry. Just as the Strategic Examination of R&D, currently underway, must include health and medical research.

To be truly national, the Strategy must have input from all States and Territory Governments, all portfolios and jurisdictions.

On behalf of our members across the whole of the health and medical research innovation pipeline, Research Australia looks forward to working with Ms Huxtable who has considerable experience in policy, bringing strong insight into the complexities of research and innovation policy and investment.

EMERGENCY FUNDING RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD BE A CRUCIAL ROLE FOR THE CENTRE FOR DISEASE CONTROL

Research Australia welcomes the Australian Government’s announcement that it will finalise the establishment of the much-anticipated Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC).

The announcement is in response to the government’s release of the independent inquiry into Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research Australia also encourages the expansion of the recommendations to include direction of emergency funding and a wider remit in supporting the alignment of Australian research and innovation with unmet health needs.

Research Australia CEO, Nadia Levin said “the establishment of an Australian Centre for Disease Control is an important first step in ensuring Australia is prepared for the next pandemic. In the event of a health emergency, the Australian CDC should have the capacity to direct emergency funding provided by the Australian Government from outside normal funding streams”.

The CDC, with its extensive data gathering and analysis capabilities and its responsibility for assessing and mediating the risks of future health emergencies, will also be ideally placed to coordinate the application of research into prevention and control of disease.

An Australian CDC should play a role in identifying promising interventions (e.g. from clinical trials) with the potential to help address a disease and support the activities needed to help implement and test the intervention in a pilot program and its subsequent scaling up into routine care.

“Research Australia will continue to work with the Australian Government and the Department of Health and Aged Care as the role of the interim CDC is developed and calls on the Government to consider a broader role in supporting Australian researchers across the health and medical research and innovation pipeline”, Ms Levin said.

RESEARCH AUSTRALIA SHARES CONCERNS OF THE SECTOR REGARDING IMPACT OF PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CAPS ON HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH

The national peak body for health and medical research and innovation, Research Australia, today notes the Australian Government’s announcement that it intends to introduce a National Planning Level for new international student commencements from 2025.

It is widely known that the revenue universities receive from international student enrolments is reinvested back into universities, especially in the funding of research. More than half of all R&D funded within the higher education sector comes from the universities themselves, with health and medical research accounting for 35% of all R&D expenditure in universities.

Research Australia acknowledges that some universities, especially in regional centres may not have their international student numbers reduced under the caps. However, overall Research Australia is concerned that these caps will see a reduction in the amount of lifesaving health and medical research being undertaken, as well as severely reducing some universities’ capacity to cover the full costs of research.

“International students add immensely to Australia’s tertiary education landscape. Research is inherently a collaborative and international endeavour. The diverse perspectives brought by international students foster innovation, drive research forward, and lead to more comprehensive nationally and globally relevant outcomes”, CEO & Managing Director of Research Australia, Nadia Levin said.

“Research Australia urges policymakers to carefully consider solutions that do not jeopardise the future of Australia’s health and medical research capabilities”.

Research Australia will be working closely with our members over the coming weeks to understand the impact of what has been proposed today and will continue to advocate for a strong and sustainable health and medical research landscape and workforce.

RNA BLUEPRINT A WELCOME ANNOUNCEMENT BUT MORE CAN BE DONE TO SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE INNOVATORS

Media Release 16 July 2024

The national peak body for health and medical research and innovation, Research Australia, welcomes today’s release of a new RNA blueprint for growing medical manufacturing by the Federal Government.

Australia’s RNA Blueprint: Understanding our ribonucleic acid (RNA) potential outlines Australians current RNA capability and opportunities for future growth and capability building.

Research Australia welcomes the Department of Industry, Science and Resources’ recognition of the need for governments, academia and industry to work together on the blueprint’s 5 goals and actions, which include:

Connect and promote our national RNA ecosystem
Increase skills and access to infrastructure
Improve research, translation and investment
Lead RNA regulation and guidance development
Build and strengthen international partnerships

Whilst the potential actions outlined within the blueprint are welcome, there are a number of policy reforms government could implement to better support local health innovators and manufacturers, including:

Better supporting innovators with early-stage development advice through the TGA on prospective treatments and devices to assist in bringing products to the Australian marker quicker
Government procurement as a tool to support Australian innovations
Better supporting innovators in the progression of research to translation and commercialisation.
Better support to attract and retain innovation and manufacturing in Australia.

“Australian health innovation represents 26% of all Australian R&D activity. Australia is leading the world in many health technologies but bringing them to market more quickly and efficiently is key to facilitating better commercial, economic and social outcomes for Australia and Australians.” Nadia Levin, CEO & Managing Director of Research Australia said.

“Australia needs a strong and thriving medical manufacturing industry to ensure Australians have access to world-leading therapies and technologies. This can only be achieved when government, academia and industry work together.”

“Research Australia was pleased to be able to contribute to the consultation on this blueprint and look forward to working with Government to progress the actions outlined by the Department.”

EMBEDDING RESEARCH INTO THE ALLIED HEALTH WORKFORCE STRATEGY

Media release 10 July 2024

The national peak body for health and medical research and innovation, Research Australia, is calling for better support for clinician researchers.

In its response to the Department of Health and Aged Care’s consultation paper on a draft outline of the National Allied Health Workforce Strategy, Research Australia, is calling for better recognition of the role of allied health professionals as clinician researchers in creating a self-improving allied health sector. Doing so will support the retention of allied health professionals, a primary goal of the Strategy.

In supporting clinician researchers, the Strategy needs to:
• Create a more research aware and research active allied health workforce.
• Provide resources and training to allied health professionals so they can rapidly translate evidence into clinical practice
• Better partnerships between universities and healthcare agencies to enable clinical research to be done in clinical settings, with support for allied health professionals to undertake education and training, including higher degrees on topics relevant to health industry partners.
• Allow for better pathways to support allied health practitioners to upskill, particularly in research.
• Provide more opportunities for AH practitioners to become allied health clinician researchers and find ongoing employment.

“Australia needs more experts to bridge the growing divide between medical science and healthcare delivery. Clinician researchers, especially those in allied health, are crucial in connecting our knowledge with practical healthcare to ensure the best outcomes for everyone,” Nadia Levin, CEO & Managing Director of Research Australia said.

“Despite this vital role in the healthcare workforce, allied health clinician researchers are often overlooked and poorly understood”.

Read Research Australia’s submission to this consultation here.

Australian H&MR Facts

Funding health & medical research in Australia

Summary

- $10 billion is spent on health and medical research (HMR) in Australia each year
- More than a quarter (26%) of all Australian Research and Development (R&D) is spent on HMR (Total R&D is around $40.6 billion in 2022/23)
- 4% of all spending on health is spent on HMR (total health expenditure in 2021-22 was $241 billion)
- 0.4% of GDP was spent on HMR (Australian GDP in 2022-23 was $2,564 billion)
- Nearly half of all Australian HMR is undertaken in the higher education sector
- HMR accounts for more than one third (35%) of all R&D expenditure in higher education institutions
- 31% of all HMR expenditure is in the private sector

Expenditure by sector

The following table is an estimate of where HMR expenditure occurs in Australia

Location of expenditure $million
Aust. Govt. (including agencies)	States & Territories	Higher Education	Not For Profit	Business	Total
134	672	4,947	1,387	3,200	10,340
1%	7%	48%	13%	31%	100%

The estimates are complicated because they are:

based on Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data and the ABS surveys the different sectors for different periods. Government and NFP data is for 2022/23; Higher Education is for the calendar year 2022 and Business is for 2021/22
the ABS categorises data by Socioeconomic Objective (SEO) and by Field of Research (FoR). The SEO of Health generally provides the most accurate estimate but the combined FoRs of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; and Health Sciences (ANZSCR 2020); is used for Business because most HMR in industry is classified not under the SEO of health but under the SEO of manufacturing. The ABS data is not provided at sufficient detail to enable health R&D to be extracted from the SEO of manufacturing.[1]

[1] Prior to 2020 the FoR of medical and health sciences (ANZSCR 2008) was used. From 2020, the New ANZSCR 2020 is applicable.

Australian Government

While only a relatively small proportion of HMR is undertaken directly by the Australian Government it is responsible for providing the funding for a much larger proportion, particularly in higher education and Medical Research Institutes (MRIs). This includes funding provided through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Australian Research Council (ARC). It also includes funding provided to universities through the block grants system, which is tied to the volume of each university’s research and the number of research students.

Australian Government funding of HMR through universities and MRIs

Australian Government funding of HMR through universities and MRIs

NHMRC Funding	$946 million
ARC Funding contribution to HMR (10%)	$81 million
Research Block Grants contribution to HMR (35%)	$700 million
MRFF	$650 million
Total	$2,377 million

Source: Australian Government Science Research and Innovation Budget Tables 2023-24 estimated expenditure for 2023-24

This estimate assumes all MRFF funding in 2023-24 went to universities and MRIs as it is not possible to break this figure down. This estimate does not take into account taxation measures such as the R&D Tax Incentive and programs like the Department of Industry Innovation and Science Entrepreneurs Program, which support the development and commercialisation of research generally, including new medicines, medical devices and therapies. It also doesn’t reflect other Commonwealth Government support provided to universities and MRIs which are used for new buildings and facilities that support HMR.

State and Territory Governments

State and territory governments are responsible for funding research undertaken within the State and territory hospital systems; the provision of support to MRIs for the indirect costs of research; and other programs to support R&D, a portion of which funds HMR. State and territory governments also provide capital funding for stand-alone research institutions (e.g. the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute) and for organisations that combine research with health care delivery (e.g. the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre).

It is likely that the total support provided to HMR significantly exceeds the $672 million per annum captured in the table above.

Higher Education

The bulk of Australian HMR is conducted in the Australian higher education sector, and is funded by the Australian Government, philanthropy and universities own funds from other sources, including teaching revenue for the Australian Government and students. Approximately one third (35%) of all research expenditure by the higher education sector is on health and medical research.

Source: ABS 8111.0, Research and Experimental Development, Higher Education Organisations, Australia 2022, SEO Health ($4,947 million) divided by total expenditure ($13,990 million).

Not for Profit sector

The Not for Profit sector spent approximately $1.4 billion on R&D in 2022/23, of which $1.64 billion (87%) was spent on the SEO of Health. The concentration of research in the non profit sector on HMR reflects the dominance of this sector by Medical Research Institutes (MRIs). The next highest categories were Education and Training with $58 million, Plant Production and Plant Primary Products ($18 million) and ICT ($15 million).

Source: Research and Experimental Development, Government and Private Non Profit Organisations, 2022-23 PNP expenditure by SEO, 2022-23

Business

Expenditure on HMR represents approximately 15.5% of total R&D spending by business. Much of the R&D expenditure by businesses has an emphasis on the ‘D’ (Development) in R&D rather than research. For this reason it is captured in the broad SEO of Manufacturing rather than Health; the combined FoRs of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; and Health Sciences are used in the above table to estimate business expenditure on H&MR.

Source: Research and Experimental Development, Businesses, Australia, 2021-22 FoR for the combined FoRs of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; and Health Sciences ($3,200,000,000) divided by total expenditure ($20,642,000,000).

For more information contact Greg Mullins, Head of Policy, greg.mullins@researchaustralia.org

Image credit: Professor Len Harrison, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute

BETTER COORDINATION ESSENTIAL FOR SMARTER INVESTMENT IN HEALTH MEDICAL RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

Media release 5 July 2024

The national peak body for health and medical research and innovation, Research Australia, welcomes today’s announcement confirming a better alignment between the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

This announcement sees the establishment of four new committees to advise on strategies and funding for the MRFF and NHMRC’s Medical Research Endowment Account (MREA), including:

• Consumer Advisory Group
• Industry, Philanthropy and Commercialisation Committee
• Public Health and Health Systems Committee
• Indigenous Advisory Group

“Research Australia has long championed the need for better coordination of the MRFF and NHMRC’s MREA. Achieving better coordination is essential for a nationally unified, strategic approach to health and medical research investment. This can bring clarity to funding availability at every stage of the research pipeline, ensuring smarter investment in Australia’s world-leading health and medical research and innovation sector,” said Nadia Levin, CEO & Managing Director of Research Australia

Research Australia has been advocating for a National Health and Medical Research and Innovation Strategy and was pleased to have the Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care, re-commit the Australian Government to the development of a National Strategy in the 2024-2025 Federal Budget.

“The development of a National Strategy and better alignment between the MRFF and MREA creates a unique opportunity for smarter investment in health and medical research and innovation across the research pipeline.”

Research Australia continues to advocate for a 50% increase in the MRFF.

“The intent of the MRFF has always been to make $1 billion available each year for investment in medical research, and Australia needs to build to that level as a priority,” Nadia Levin said.

“The Board of Guardians overseeing the Future Fund says $973 million is available for grants in 2024-25, an almost 50% increase on the currently budgeted disbursement of $650 million. The release of this funding would benefit the health and wealth of all Australians”.

Read Research Australia’s response to the Australian Government’s consultation focused on improving strategic alignment and coordination between the MRFF and the MREA here.

RESEARCH AUSTRALIA AND VAXXAS PUT AUSTRALIAN HEALTH INNOVATION ON THE NATIONAL AGENDA

Media Release 27 June 2024

The national peak body for health and medical research and innovation, Research Australia has partnered with Australian biotech company, Vaxxas, to bring around 70 health innovators together with Government to identify policy solutions to support the uptake of Australian health innovations here at home.

The Policy Roundtable, kindly hosted by the Australian National University, will be used to explore what’s required by Australian enterprise to enable it to more consistently articulate the vital next steps from R&D to procurement, and subsequent marketing and sales.

Following the Roundtable, a Parliamentary Friends of Health and Medical Research event will take place at Parliament House, hosted at the Speaker’s Courtyard by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Milton Dick MP to celebrate the success stories of Australian health innovation and the opportunities the sector presents to further Australian health and wealth.“

Australian health innovation represents 28% of all Australian R&D activity.1 Australia is leading the world in many health technologies, bringing them to market is key to facilitating better commercial, economic and social outcomes for Australia and Australians,” said Nadia Levin, CEO & Managing Director of Research Australia.

“The Australian Government’s recently announced ‘A Future Made in Australia’ initiative and the National Reconstruction Fund are welcome, innovative new public policies, but more can be done to drive Australian medical, biotech and health innovation for the benefit of Australians’ health and wealth.

“Today we put Australian health innovation on the national agenda,” Ms Levin said.

One of a number of Australian healthcare innovators represented at today’s events, Vaxxas is developing an innovative needle-free technology that will be fundamental to transforming the way vaccines are delivered in the future with its high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP) technology.

Vaxxas President and CEO, David Hoey said, “Vaxxas takes its role as a leader in Australian health innovation seriously. We want to do everything we can to support a flourishing national health innovation sector.

“We know firsthand the challenges Australian health innovators can face in accessing procurement and traversing complex regulatory pathways, among others. It’s great to be working with Research Australia to bring everyone together to identify policy solutions that can advance the whole sector.”

The key insights gathered from the Roundtable will be developed into policy proposals for future consideration by Government and all political parties at the Commonwealth level.

1 https://researchaustralia.org/category/hmr-facts/