New expert report to guide Medical Research Future Fund

Media Release: Monday 6 June, 2016

A new report from the health and medical sector says the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) needs to prioritise closing gaps between health research, health practice and the health economy.

Translating Research for a sustainable future comprehensively brings together the positions of 160 of Australia’s leading health and medical research organisations, companies and personnel.

The review, contributed to by prominent researchers, universities, and businesses in the field, outlines the sector’s view on priorities for the MRFF over the next two and five years.

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New Leaders to Strengthen the Alliance of Australian Health and Medical Researchers

Media Release: Wednesday 11 May 2016

Decades’ worth of highly-specialised experience is being added to the leadership of Research Australia, with the appointment of a new CEO and four new Board members.

Research Australia is an alliance of 160 members and supporters advocating for health and medical research in Australia.

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Australian take on International Clinical Trials Day

Media Release: Friday 20 May 2016

A clinical trial investigating reducing risk of neonatal infections related to pre-labour ruptured membranes, has been awarded the inaugural Trial of the Year Award 2016 by the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA).

Professor Johnathan Morris, chief investigator, this morning accepted the award on behalf of the trial investigators at the Clinical Trials 2016 Breakfast and Award Ceremony this morning from Health Minister Sussan Ley.

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Medical Research Future Fund Strategies and Priorities – responding to the consultation

Research Australia Member Webinar: MRFF Strategies and Priorities – responding to the consultation

Download Presentation > MRFF Webinar Presentation

The MRFF provides a unique opportunity to transform Australian health and medical research and innovation.

The Health Minister has appointed an Advisory Board of eminent Australians to develop a five-year Strategy for the MRFF and the funding priorities for the first two years.

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Medical Research Future Fund consultations commence

The Australian Medical Research Advisory Board supporting the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) has announced the commencement of a two stage consultation process on the five-year Strategy and two-year Priorities. The first stage is a public call for submissions.

A consultation Paper and more information in relation to making a submission are available on the Department of Health website. Submissions close on 6 June 2016. This will be followed by a second stage of targeted consultations to be held in July.

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Nanoscience Facility is a $150M Investment in Australian Ingenuity

Media Release: Tuesday 3 May 2016

Recently the University of Sydney officially opened the Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology.

Nadia Levin is CEO of Research Australia, the peak group representing 160 members advocating for health and medical research in Australia. In response to requests for comment, she said:

“In 1965, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore correctly predicted exponential growth in computing technology, with computer power to double in capacity, and halve in price, every two years.

“Common computers since that time have gone from the size of houses to rooms to watches and beyond, and their capabilities today are at levels considered sci-fi even at the turn of this century.

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Federal Budget a Combination of Treatments, Placebos and Nocebos for Health and Medical Research

Media Release: Wednesday 4 May 2016

Research Australia, which represents 160 health and medical research organisations, has described last night’s budget as mixed bag – with some wins, some losses and some more detail required.

“The Federal Government is making all of the right noises when it comes to innovation, health and research, and it is pleasing that they remain on the agenda,” said CEO Nadia Levin.

“The budget would be described by my members as a combination of ‘treatments, placebos and nocebos’, and the challenge for government is to back it up with funding.”

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The 2016-17 Budget: Health and Medical Research

The following are some of the key announcements in the 2016-17 Budget which affect health and medical research. Information has been drawn from the budget papers, including portfolio and agency statements. The Budget papers are available here.

HEALTH PORTFOLIO

Medical Research Future Fund

The Budget has confirmed the Government’s continued commitment to the MRFF. However, it is now expected to meet the $20 billion target in 2020-21, a year later than first projected in the Budget in 2014 (Note 1). 2019-20 was confirmed as the target date for full capitalisation of the MRFF as recently as December last year, in the NISA Fact Sheet on the Biomedical Translation Fund (Note 2).

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Michael J Fox Foundation explains the pharmaceutical development process

The Michael J. Fox Foundation‘s Co-Founder Debi Brooks breaks down the pharmaceutical development landscape in an easy to understand analogy and explains how the Foundation plays a critical role in bringing better and improved Parkinson’s disease therapies to patients.

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grassROOTS Magazine

Autumn 2016 Issue Out Now!

Welcome to the Autumn issue of Research Australia’s grassROOTS magazine. Activity in our sector has been at fever pitch for a while now and there have been some good outcomes. The National Innovation and Science Agenda (NISA) was announced by the Prime Minister in early December. Research Australia welcomes this clear focus by our Government on science and innovation as essential to Australia’s future and there is no doubt that health and medical research has an important role to play.

This agenda reconfirmed the importance of the Medical Research Future Fund, it has enabled the set up of a biomedical translation fund to quickly address the funding gap for mid to later stage clinical research and development, and it is also focused on developing a new plan for research infrastructure and championing the importance of STEM subjects such as maths and science, in our education system.

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