1 building australia’s research capacity in ageing: some personal thoughts robin batterham chief...
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1
Building Australia’s research capacity in
ageing:some personal thoughts
Robin BatterhamChief Scientist
Australian Government
2
Assessing outcomes of past funding
• Much new funding added:– NHMRC– Backing Australia’s Ability
• What are the new success stories?• Now:
– Tight fiscal situation– Competition from other worthwhile
causes
3
Economic case for research: dementia
2001/02
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0
14.0$ BillionAustralian(Constant 2001 dollars)
Health costs, including residential care costs
2041/42
Source: PMSEIC working group on Brain and Mind disorders (2003) appendix 2
Costs to business of caregiver time, productivity loss and medical expenses
4
The National Research Priorities (5 Dec 2002)
• An environmentally sustainableAustralia
• Promoting and maintaining good health
• Frontier technologies for building and transforming Australian Industries
• Safeguarding Australia
5
Priority goals for health research
1. A healthy start to life
2. Ageing well, ageing productively
3. Preventive healthcare
6
Their characteristics …
• Clear pathway for Australian research• Thematic and outcome oriented• They maintain a diversified research
portfolio• Visible • Pillars of strength
7
Specific PMSEIC focus on promoting healthy ageing
• Vision: An additional 10 years of healthy and productive life expectancy by 2050
• Value of a Mediterranean diet in reducing risk of heart attacks
• Implications for projected rising PBS costs
8
Enhancing research capacity
PMSEIC working group on Promoting Healthy Ageing recommended:
1. National multi-disciplinary network for healthy ageing research
2. Australian longitudinal study of older people
9
Research in Australia: some personal thoughts
• Excellence• Collaboration• Pillars of strength• Routes to end use• Emerging opportunities from cross-
cutting and multidisciplinary research
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