National Health and Medical Research Strategy

We are developing a National Health and Medical Research Strategy to provide national direction, build on Australia’s strengths in the health and medical research sector, fill any gaps, and continue to attract researchers and investors to Australia.

About the strategy

The purpose of the National Strategy is to deliver: 

  • a plan to strengthen and leverage Australia's world-leading research capability
  • better health outcomes from a productive and efficient research ecosystem.

The National Strategy will provide recommendations to:

  • ensure all Australians benefit from health and medical research by producing better health outcomes for the community
  • optimise existing money in health and medical research, encourage greater coordination and partnerships across the sector and improve efficiency and effectiveness of research efforts
  • foster a strong research workforce and create the attractive investment environment necessary for a sustainable research pipeline from discovery and innovation to translation and commercialisation
  • help build a sustainable research pipeline from discovery and innovation to translation and commercialisation
  • cover the entire sector and include all levels of government, industry, philanthropy, academia and consumers.

It will:

  • align to the strategic plans and decision-making processes across stakeholder groups
  • consider Australia’s global context, including areas of national strength and capability gaps.

Why it’s important

Our consultation to better align the work of the NHMRC and MRFF highlighted the need for a national strategy. 

The strategy will help target our funding and strengthen our world-leading health and medical research capability into the future.

This will enable discoveries to get to market faster to further improve the health and lives of Australians.

Status

In May 2024, the Minister for Health and Aged Care announced that we would develop the strategy.

In November 2024, the Minister for Health and Aged Care appointed Ms Rosemary Huxtable AO PSM as chair of the National Strategy.

We are in the early stages of development. As this work progresses, we will hold extensive public consultation. 

News

Join the new chair driving the development of the National Health and Medical Research Strategy

Join Ms Rosemary Huxtable AO PSM at 2:00pm AEDT on 5 December 2024 to learn about the National Health and Medical Research Strategy.

Audit finds Australia’s health and medical researchers are passionate, diverse and highly mobile

We have undertaken a national audit of Australia’s health and medical research workforce. You can now read our findings and learn about opportunities to support our researchers into the future.

Be counted as part of the Health and Medical Research Workforce Audit

Are you a health and medical researcher or do you support health and medical research activities? Have you had these roles in the past but left to work in another sector? If so, we want to hear from you.

Resources

Webinar

Contact

National Health and Medical Research Strategy contact

Email us for more information about the National Health and Medical Research Strategy.
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