The National Institute of Clinical Studies (NICS) will be incorporated into the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) next year.
The NHMRC provides advice to Government on the funding and development of health and medical research, public health issues and ethical conduct in research. NICS focuses on potential improvements in health care by ensuring the best available medical evidence informs clinical practice.
The move should strengthen the translation of research findings into improvements to health care practice. It follows a review of the objectives and operations of NICS against the principles for governance in the Uhrig Report.
The NICS work program will continue and the skills and expertise developed by the institute over the past six years will be preserved.
In the 2006-07 Budget, the Government committed an additional $500 million over four years to increase funding for health and medical research grants provided through the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Media contact: Claire Kimball, Office of Tony Abbott, 0413 486 926