MRFF Australian Medical Research and Innovation Strategy and Priorities consultation

Overview

The Australian Medical Research and Innovation Strategy (Strategy) is determined by the Australian Medical Research Advisory Board (AMRAB). The current Strategy covers the period 2016-2021, with the next Strategy (2021-2026) to be registered before 8 November 2021. The Medical Research Future Fund Act 2015 (MRFF Act) requires AMRAB to undertake a consultation process before determining a Strategy.

The Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities (Priorities) that are in force must be consistent with the Strategy. Therefore, the Priorities are being revisited at the same time to ensure their alignment with the next Strategy.

As required by the MRFF Act, the current Strategy was developed to ensure a coherent and consistent approach is adopted in the funding of medical research and innovation from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). In determining the current Priorities, a number of matters were taken into account, such as burden of disease, delivery of practical benefits to and greatest value for Australians, and complementarity to other financial assistance for medical research and medical innovation.

AMRAB is interested in hearing your reflections on the current Strategy and the related Priorities, specifically your views on:

• whether they could be improved to better meet their purpose set out in the MRFF Act
• the critical current and future issues and factors the next Strategy and Priorities should address to guide Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) investments and options to address these, and
• how the Strategy and Priorities can account for the significant impact of COVID-19 on health services and the research sector.

A consultation guidance paper prepared by AMRAB can be accessed from the bottom of this page.

This consultation is an opportunity to ensure that an updated Strategy is meeting its purpose as described in the MRFF Act, accounting for critical current and future issues and factors (e.g. primary prevention), and will continue to allow the MRFF to fund research to address national health priorities and deliver practical benefits from medical research and medical innovation to Australians.

Those to be engaged include the Australian public, state and territory health officials, organisations with expertise in health and medical research and innovation, consumer representatives, clinicians and health services managers.

This consultation process is supported by a public webinar that was held on 28 September 2021 and a targeted virtual roundtable discussion on 30 September 2021. A copy of the webinar presentation and a consolidated write-up from the roundtable can be found at the bottom of this page.

Please note that the roundtable write-up is provided as insight on how the roundtable attendees view the overarching role of the MRFF within the broader health and medical research landscape only. It is not intended to constrain or limit the submission of specific recommendations or commentary on the Strategy and Priorities.

Public submissions can be submitted through this consultation page. This consultation will inform AMRAB’s consideration of the next Strategy and the related Priorities as required by the MRFF Act.