medical research draft narrative

Medical Research Narrative

Advancing Medical ResearchHigh-quality medical research institutes needed to deliver better health outcomes for all Australians


A strong health and medical research sector is vital for the ongoing health of Australians. Our medical research institutes (MRIs) are working to develop research to diagnose, treat, manage and prevent illnesses that affect individuals in Australia and across the globe.

However, the sector currently lacks the financial and policy support to deliver the best possible health outcomes.

By building a policy that provides the support and funding that our researchers need, Australia’s MRIs will be in the best position to develop new treatments and effectively translate research from laboratories to hospital bedsides.

A strong, well-supported industry will also be in a better position to attract Australia’s best and brightest to the areas where they are needed most.

If we invest in medical research, Australia’s MRI’s have the potential to be world leaders in driving better health outcomes.

Professionals AustraliaSTREET ADDRESS 163 Eastern Rd, South Melbourne Victoria 3205, Australia

POSTAL ADDRESS GPO Box 1272, Melbourne Victoria 3001, Australia

TELEPHONE 1300 273 762

EMAIL [email protected]

WEB www.professionalsaustralia.org.au


An open letter

Future-proofing Australia’s health and medical research sector starts here.

But the benefits, never end.

Dear Medical Research Professional,

Australia’s health and medical research sector is among the best performing of its kind in the world. A large part of this strength is due to the performance of medical research institutes (MRIs), which have a strong history of high-impact research. However, the current funding system is holding back our MRIs, underfunding their research and discouraging career development.

Funding in the health and medical research sector should ultimately aim to provide a robust, well-funded sector, where vital medical research can be produced for the benefit of the wider community. In order for this to be achieved, governments need to invest in medical research, and ensure that the system of funding encourages stronger MRIs.

The current system of project-based funding leads to a number of unintended consequences for the industry, that impede optimal research outcomes. MRIs face uncertainty surrounding their funding, with grants unable to cover the full costs of medical research. As a result, MRIs need to find additional funds to cover the indirect costs of research and research infrastructure, taking time away from core research activities.

Short-term grants also have a significant negative impact on workforce development in the sector. Researchers have to contend with an uncertain career path, as their position and funding are often only assured for one to three years at a time. This lack of a secure career path discourages Australia’s brightest minds from pursuing careers in medical research.

The failings in Australia’s current system of funding medical research are complex but able to be solved, and with government now firmly committed to science and technology– driven innovation and the establishment of the Medical Research Future Fund, there has never been a better time to fix the system. The time is now to ensure that this new funding is directed to repairing the holes in the current system, to help our MRIs in their vital work.

Professionals Australia is calling for governments to establish a new, whole-of-sector policy to deliver stronger MRIs. If Australia is to maintain its existing world-class health and medical research sector, action needs to be taken now.

With that, I extend an invitation to all medical research professionals to be a part of this initiative, and help shape our plan from the ground up – to make the voice of your sector stronger to enable you to do your research better.

Please visit: Professionalsaustralia.org.au/_________ and register your interest.

Otherwise, contact ____________________________________________________.

Thank you,

Chris Walton, CEO Professionals Australia

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— Australia’s medical research institutes face ongoing pressure from a funding

system in need of repair. While the Medical Research Future Fund is expected to deliver some support for the sector, it is critical that these funds are directed

where they are needed most. —

A funding system under pressure

The consequences

Medical research institutes (MRIs) are a critical part of the wider health and medical research sector. Research conducted by MRIs is used in the development of medicines, vaccines, preventative devices, medical procedures and treatments.

Australia’s MRIs are recognised world leaders in the health and medical research sector. However, the issues present for MRIs are preventing further advancement of medical research in Australia. The root of these issues is the lack of a guiding plan for the sector, and a resulting funding system that prevents optimal outcomes. The current system of project-based funding encourages a short-term focus, leaves MRIs underfunded and discourages Australia’s brightest talent from pursuing careers in medical research.

With the development of a more comprehensive and consistent medical research strategy, a better system of fully-funded research and clearer career paths for researchers, the industry would be in a stronger position to tangibly improve the health and well-being of Australians.

Strategy:• no formal strategy to guide funding arrangements;• unclear strategy increases uncertainty for the sector and employees;• funding levels differ between states;• incentives for medical research differ between states;• no strategy to ensure research outcomes address national priorities; and• commercialisation does not receive adequate support.

Funding:• current framework does not fund the full-costs of research;• researchers have to waste time applying for various fragmented grants;• funding does not encourage risk taking & innovation• lack of funding limits researchers’ access to vital equipment;• many qualified researchers may not gain funding, as over 80% of proposals are rejected; and• lack of funding threatens the independence of MRIs.

Workforce:• no workforce development framework exists to encourage the attraction and retention of quality researchers;• short-term grants mean no career stability for researchers;• lack of stability encourages researchers to seek employment outside the sector;• unstable and inadequate funding of indirect costs threatens the security of research support roles;• female participation and advancement is hindered by a range of factors; and• the grant process does not support those who have taken a career break, instead it favours those with a greater number of recent publications.

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StrategyThe industry currently lacks a national plan or strategy for the future of medical research. As a result, the organisation, coordination, funding and bureaucracy are highly fragmented.

“Australia does not have in place the very senior, whole-of-government, whole-of-industry health and medical research strategy forums that are increasingly a feature of other western jurisdictions.” – AAMRI, 2020: A Healthy Australia, 2012

This finding by AAMRI points to the lack of an overall strategy guiding the various aspects of Australia’s medical research industry. The development of a cohesive strategy for strong MRIs will be vital in ensuring that the nation’s funding of medical research delivers the outcomes that the community need. This plan needs to be aligned with health priorities and should be supported by efficient frameworks. Any national plan should include strategies regarding issues such as commercialisation, collaboration, translational research, workforce development, innovation and risk taking, and should also propose funding measures to ensure that these strategies are achieved.

FundingThe current funding framework does not cover the full costs of medical research, and leaves many MRIs underfunded.

Medical research funding is typically contingent on short-term grants, which only fund project-specific costs. As a result, MRIs currently lack adequate funding for indirect costs including the infrastructure required to undertake research, the equipment needed, the administrative and laboratory staff, and other costs that are not specific to the project such as utilities. While some mechanisms exist at a state and national level to fund indirect expenses, the overall level of funding falls well short of widely accepted standard of $0.60 for every dollar of project funding.

Fully-funded MRIs are vital in the delivery of a strong health and medical research sector. Full-funding of medical research is an investment that generates economic growth, better health outcomes, and encourages concurrent business and philanthropic investment in the sector.

WorkforceThe current short-term focus of medical research does not, provide adequate stability and discourages researchers from entering or remaining in the sector.

The nature of the work carried out by MRIs requires that Australia’s best and brightest minds be attracted and retained. A level of job security is important in this process. Despite the importance of high-quality research staff, the large majority are faced with significant job and income uncertainty, with their funding and employment tied to short-term project grants.

The issue of attraction and retention is even more pronounced when considering female participation in MRIs. As an example, the grant system does not adequately accommodate carer responsibilities and career breaks, emphasising recent rather than whole-of-career publications when assessing researchers’ track record.

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What the players say

Solution

Baker IDI, Submission to independent review of MRIs“Underfunding of the indirect cost of medical research is one of the biggest issues facing the iMRI sector.”

“The most significant initiative the Commonwealth Government could take to improve the efficiency of the entire health and medical research sector is to establish a rational and equitable regime for funding the indirect costs of research at all institutions (universities, hospitals and iMRIs) where Government-funded research takes place.”

AAMRI, Submission to independent review of MRIs“Arguably the number one factor compromising the long-term sustainability of the research sector as a whole is the failure of the Government to fund the full costs of the research it supports through competitive grants.”

NSW Ministry of Health, Submission to McKeon review “The NSW Health and Medical Research Strategic Research consultations identified that deficiencies in research infrastructure funding undermines the long-term interest of the research community.”

McKeon Review Final Report“In short, the current system of indirect research cost funding is inequitable and impedes research excellence.”

1. Establish a whole-of-government policyIn order to strengthen Australia’s MRIs, we need a coherent and well-developed policy for the health and medical research sector. Government policy must prioritise the strength and independence of MRIs. A guiding vision for the industry will ensure that governments at state and federal level make the necessary changes to ensure a sustainable future for MRIs and medical researchers alike.

2. Invest in medical researchAdditional investment in medical research will be vital over the coming years in order to drive improved health outcomes and to ensure that Australia’s MRIs remains among the world’s best. Additional funding will provide the best opportunity to plug the gaps in the current funding framework. The MRFF promises to deliver a funding boost for the sector, but the responsibility remains with governments to ensure that this funding is assured and that it is used to strengthen our MRIs.

3. Fully fund medical researchAdditional funding alone will not deliver stronger MRIs, unless this funding is used to fix the shortfalls in our current system. Researchers and MRIs have long called for additional funding for the indirect costs of research. Funding the full costs of research should be a priority for governments, to ensure that researchers have the facilities, equipment and support to deliver quality research outcomes.

4. Promote independence of MRIsMRIs in Australia are among the highest-performing organisations in the wider health and medical research sector, producing publications with an impact 65% above the world average, and 41% above the Australian average. MRIs need to retain their agility and responsiveness by remaining independent and separate from universities and hospitals. Funding should ensure that MRIs retain their independent capacity to deliver world-class research.

5. Support commercialisationWhile the quality of work carried out by Australia’s MRIs is among the best in the world, the commercialisation of this research has proven more difficult. Translating research into successful commercial outcomes is vital if the full benefit of this research is to be realised. Government policy needs to do more to promote commercialisation, including additional funding to allow researchers to build the body of work to attract private investment. The establishment of centres of excellence to provide commercialisation knowledge and support to MRIs would also aid the commercialisation of research.

6. Develop a sustainable workforceA national workforce development framework for medical research professionals should be developed to provide stable, satisfying career paths for medical researchers. The funding framework should provide incentives for choosing medical research as a career, attracting and retaining quality researchers. Longer grant terms, stable funding of indirect costs and strategies to support female participation - such as career breaks and flexible grant terms - should be priorities.

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Advancing change to achieve solutions_

Strengthening our MRIs requires a plan and expert guidance. This is our framework for moving forward?, but it will only work with your direction and input.

_

1. Identify, confirm and understand the issueTo begin, there needs to be an issue, or an opportunity. In most cases, issues lead to opportunity. We know there are issues in funding our MRIs, because our members have told us, but it is ensure we fully understand the problems. Once the issue is known, we consult, research, and confirm.

2. Engage with stakeholdersThe best arguments are backed by evidence and are supported by experts. Once the issue is known, we seek out experienced industry experts and get their evidence. If our argument can be improved, we want to know before the campaign starts.

3. Identify and test solutionsNow that we know the issue and have developed our vision for stronger MRIs, we can build the campaign. The purpose of a campaign is to identify the key stakeholders and to raise awareness of the issues. We do this by demonstrating support for the campaign and promoting the consequences if the problems are not resolved.

4. Build the campaignFor every issue to be overcome, we need a viable solution – the light at the end of the tunnel. Using the best minds at our disposal, we will prepare a comprehensive list of solutions, guided by industry experts. We might not win over everybody, but through gaining feedback from medical research professionals, we can form new solutions.

5. Create community awarenessIt is critical that decision-makers understand there is support for the solutions being presented in the campaign. Building support means engaging in a range of activities designed to target different audiences and generate wide-spread backing. Activities include generating media coverage, writing to members, consulting with industry, engaging social media, and producing and distributing information such as flyers, posters, videos. The list of awareness-raising activities is endless, and largely depends on the audience and the objective.

6. Lobby the decision-makersWe know the issue. We know the solution. We’ve collected as much support as possible, and it’s overwhelming. The next step is to package it up, and begin lobbying the decision-makers. The idea is to present our story and the arguments in a manner in which the decision-makers cannot ignore. If the argument is sound, support is strong and the solutions are deliverable and achievable, there should be no reason for the decision-makers not to listen and act. While they might not fear us, they probably fear you.

7. Maintain the relationshipsWe have done a lot of hard work bridging the gap between those on the ground, and those calling the shots. Regardless of the outcome, we’ll have formed valuable relationships that should be maintained.Please contact __________, at [email protected] to have your say in our plan.

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Professionals AustraliaSTREET ADDRESS 163 Eastern Rd, South Melbourne Victoria 3205, Australia

POSTAL ADDRESS GPO Box 1272, Melbourne Victoria 3001, Australia

TELEPHONE 1300 273 762

EMAIL [email protected]

WEB www.professionalsaustralia.org.au

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