Australia's medical innovation future hangs in the balance as the government faces pressure to fast-track funding. With Donald Trump's administration gutting US research funding, Australian scientists and independent MP Monique Ryan are urging the Labor government to take action. Ryan, a paediatric neurologist and Kooyong MP, advocates for increased annual releases from the $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), surpassing the current annual disbursement of $650 million. This push is supported by leading research and academic organizations, including the Group of Eight universities, the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes, and the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. The fund's strong performance, with an average annual rate of return outpacing its benchmark since 2015, further emphasizes the need for accelerated funding. Ryan highlights the potential of this additional funding to drive life-saving innovations, citing the MRFF's current value of $24.1 billion. However, the urgency is heightened by the dire situation in the US, where Trump's administration has slashed medical research funding and replaced experienced scientists with loyalists and untrained individuals. This has led to concerns about the survival of world-class research institutes in Australia, with the Australian Association of Medical Research Institutes warning that many organizations could become financially unsustainable within five years. The impact of these funding cuts is already evident, as evidenced by the missed opportunities for research proposals like those from Amanda Poprzecny and Associate Prof Adam McKay. As legislation to establish a new Australian Centre for Disease Control nears passage, the need for swift action on medical innovation funding becomes even more critical.
