Aussie researchers ‘world class’
There has never been more money invested in health and medical research than there is today, according to Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, who last week, announced that 2011 Australian of the Year, Simon McKeon, would chair an independent review of health and medical research in Australia, and recommend a 10-year strategic health and medical research plan for the nation.
There has never been more money invested in health and medical research than there is today, according to Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler.
Mr Butler, last week, announced that 2011 Australian of the Year, Simon McKeon, would chair an independent review of health and medical research in Australia and recommend a 10-year strategic health and medical research plan for the nation.
The review will also be carried out by leading Australian researchers, Professor Ian Frazer, Bill Ferris AC, Elizabeth Alexander, Professor Melissa Little and Professor Henry Brodaty, who is a member of several key state and national committees in Australia concerned with dementia and mental health in older people.
According to Mr Butler, the research review and the 10-year health and medical research plan will help Australian researchers “continue to realise [their] potential”.
The review will also focus on optimising Australia’s capacity to produce “world-class” health and medical research across the research spectrum – from discovery to translation.
The last strategic view was conducted more than a decade ago, and Mr Butler said it was “timely” for the government to now consider how to “optimise the future environment” for carrying out health and medical research.
“The many successes of our researchers have paved the way to less disease, better treatment, improved quality of life and even cures for conditions once thought incurable,” Mr Butler said.
Confident in Australian researchers’ ability to solve current and emerging health challenges, at home and overseas, Mr Butler said Australia was “blessed with wealth and resources”.
