The Turnbull Government will provide $10 million to support the development of eleven cutting edge medical projects, which will improve the lives of Australian patients and provide new options to help solve emerging health challenges.
The projects include “the BioPen”, which is a handheld 3D printer that can be used in surgery to repair damaged cartilage.
The world’s first rapid diagnostic test for the rapid diagnostic for the pathogens that causes sepsis. A diagnosis of the deadly sepsis illness can be made in about 35 minutes.
Other projects include a fully synthetic 3D printed spinal cage, microwearables to detect infectious diseases such as malaria and dengue and a genome profiling platform to enable precision cancer medicine.
This represents the first funding from the Government’s $35 million BioMedTech Horizons program.
Australia is home to the best and brightest medical talent anywhere in the world and we are backing them to help improves the lives of Australian patients.
Today’s announcement represents the opening of a new avenue for Australia’s world-class researchers to apply their work in the real world — one in which they take their discoveries out of academia and into the clinic.
The financial support through the BioMedTech Horizons program is an excellent example of the Government’s commitment to invest in projects that seek to turn research into reality.
The program is being delivered through a collaboration with MPTConnect, the Australian Government’s Medical Technology and Pharmaceutical Industry Growth Centre and the Medical Technologies Association of Australia.
Great scientific research is happening in Australia every day: in our universities, in our research institutions and in the medtech and pharma sector generally.
Medical research both saves lives and protects lives. It makes us better as a country and better as human beings.
The Turnbull Government understands the medtech, biotech and pharmaceutical sector offers endless opportunities, not only for patients but for the economy.
Today’s announcement is part of a drive to accelerate Australia’s competitive advantage as a global health industry leader in medical technology (medtech), biotechnology (biotech) and pharmaceuticals.
Through the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), we are providing a sustainable and long-term source of additional money for critical research.
In fact, in 2017 we committed more than $6 billion over five years for health and medical research through the National Health and Medical Research Council, the MRFF and the Biomedical Translation Fund.
The Turnbull Government is proud to make this investment because we understand the link between research and positive patient outcomes. It’s about giving Australians in need hope and creating the opportunity to have a better, healthier and longer life.