Fighting diabetes
Research Australia CEO Rebecca James welcomed the launch of the merged organisation in Melbourne. “Diabetes costs Australia $12.4 billion a year. Cardiovascular disease adds $4 billion a year to health care costs alone, with billions more lost in productivity,” James said.
“We need more investment in research and in translating that new knowledge into better health care. The government needs to act to make sure our health care system is resourced to undertake research and to apply that research in practice.”
Recently, the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Nicola Roxon MP, announced $357 million in grants for health and medical research. This is the highest level of government funding to date and will support research with the potential to beat major chronic diseases.
Research Australia today launched fact sheets on diabetes and heart disease, which shows the growing burden of disease and the exciting research happening in Australia to address it. The fact sheets were produced with the support of Diabetes Australia and the Heart Foundation.
The Health research and you fact sheets outline the impact of major diseases on the community, leading-edge research being undertaken in Australia and the benefits of research for improving our lives.
“Research Australia’s members, including the Baker IDI, are outstanding institutions and we look forward to their ongoing success,” said James.
