Medical research has the power to save and improve lives through driving better health care and improved health outcomes from new medicines, devices and treatments. Australia is a world leader in health and medical research and will maintain this position through continued investment in research.
This initiative aligns to department outcomes 1 & 2 in the Health Portfolio Budget Statements
Our aim
- Cement Australia’s place as a world leader in health and medical research.
- Increase clinical trials, exports, new markets and global market leadership in biotechnology, medical devices and pharmaceuticals.
- Transform the lives of Australians through a dedicated mission to harness the power of genomics and realise the potential of precision medicine
- Support early stage health and medical research discoveries to reach proof-of-concept and progress to clinical trials.
- Strengthen Australia’s position as a global destination for clinical trials.
- Improve health services and systems evidence-based research.
Our challenges
- Australia’s small patient population can constrain clinical research activity, making international collaboration essential.
- Many medical research discoveries and ideas fail to progress due to limited resources at critical phases of development.
- To be truly transformative, researchers need support to push through to proof-of-concept and trial phases where their work can attract private investment.
- Government has a role in investing in research that maximises research translation and commercialisation.
Our work to achieve this initiative
- The Government's investment in a National Health and Medical Research Industry Growth Plan will deliver better health care and outcomes, new jobs and industry growth.
- Supporting research into new biotechnology, medical devices and pharmaceutical innovations.
- Funding research into rare cancers, rare and chronic diseases, genomics, and mental health.
- Investing in clinical trials to deliver scientific breakthroughs.
- SME Assist initiative to assist researchers and small businesses to navigate the medicines and medical devices regulatory system.
Our role and that of our partners
- Support health and medical research and innovation through the Medical Research Future Fund, and the Biomedical Translation Fund, and the National Health and Medical Research Council.
- Collaborate with states and territories to improve clinical trial operating systems to make it easier to conduct and participate in safe, high quality clinical trials.
Medical research future fund investment areas
Management of identified risks
Key risks
The implementation of the National Health and Medical Industry Growth Plan and other Medical Research Future Fund initiatives is delayed.
States and territories are delayed in implementing important clinical trial system redesign strategies.
The development of supporting infrastructure for a National Clinical Trial Front Door is delayed.
Management strategies
Rigorous project management applied, governance arrangements established.
Proactive engagement with internal and external stakeholders to ensure collaboration and manage expectations.
Provide early indicative cost and benefit realisation information.