Media releases
April 2012
Borderline Personality Disorder: Helping Patients and Clinicians Find the Right Treatment
Help is at hand for clinicians who collectively treat more than 200,000 Australians with borderline personality disorder, which can be difficult to diagnose and potentially lead to significant harm for the patient. Borderline personality disorder is challenging for the people with the condition, their carers and the health professionals involved in the treatment and management of the condition. The disorder is associated with a range of risks including suicide, self-inflicted harmful...
March 2012
Helping Healthcare Providers Work with People to Manage Excess Weight
The relationship between primary care clinicians and the community in managing overweight and obesity has been emphasised by a new draft clinical practice guideline issued for consultation by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). The new draft Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, Children and Adolescents is being funded by the Department of Health and Ageing. The new draft guideline suggests a staged approach to managing...
$2.9 million to help boost access to clinical trials
THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP Minister for Health SENATOR THE HON CHRIS EVANS Leader of the Government in the Senate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research Patients suffering chronic diseases will benefit from $2.9 million in funding to increase access to clinical trials of new drugs, treatments and medical procedures. The Minister for Health, Tanya Plibersek, today said that the funding will support the administration of the National Health and Medical Research...
ICGC launches new project and releases more genomic data on cancer
Toronto – March 15, 2012. The International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) today announced a new project from South Korea to identify the genomic drivers in breast cancer, which will improve understanding and clinical management of this disease. ICGC today also announced its eighth major data release. The Consortium is ahead of schedule in its decade-long goal to generate high-quality genomic data on more than 25,000 tumors for up to 50 types of cancer that are of clinical and societal...
February 2012
Australia / Singapore to Host Leaders in Emerging Infectious Diseases
The brightest minds in emerging infectious diseases research and current technologies have gathered in Singapore for a scientific symposium to discuss the health challenges facing the Asia Pacific. A joint initiative between the NHMRC and the Singapore based Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), the symposium will focus on tuberculosis, influenza and how to combat them. “The symposium is an opportunity to forge research and development collaborations amongst Australian...
Ten of the Best Health and Medical Research Projects 2011 Launch
Cone snails are not an obvious place to look for medicine’s next significant breakthrough, but this is exactly where Dr Richard Lewis and his research team have found a promising new treatment for chronic pain. This research, which is currently at the clinical trial stage, makes use of cone snail toxins to create new pain treatments that lack the side effects associated with existing drugs. It is one of the research projects showcased in the National Health and Medical Research Council...
January 2012
Support for H5N1 Research and Biosecurity Statement
NHMRC CEO Professor Warwick Anderson has supported a voluntary 60 day suspension of Avian influenza (H5N1) research and publications by the US based National Institutes of Health (NIH). Announced by NIH Director Dr Francis Collins and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr Anthony Fauci, the suspension applies to research that enhances the transmissibility of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in mammals, and H5N1 viruses that are transmissible in ferrets....
December 2011
New Research Collaboration to Target Dementia
THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP Minister for Health THE HON MARK BUTLER MP Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Researchers, policy makers and healthcare workers will jointly establish Australia’s first Partnership Centre for better dementia outcomes, Minister for Health, Tanya Plibersek and Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler announced today. The first centre will focus on the theme of ‘Dealing with Cognitive and Related Functional Decline in the Elderly’....
$114.2 million investment in health and medical research
THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP Minister for Health Some of the best and brightest minds in Australian health and medical research were recognised in Sydney today. Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek has announced a further $114.2 million investment in health and medical research for 159 grants. “The Gillard Government is proud to be supporting our health and medical research innovators as they develop their products and technologies here in Australia,” Ms Plibersek said. “Not...
Providing the scientific evidence for healthier Australian diets
Public consultation on draft Australian Dietary Guidelines Australians can now have their say on draft dietary advice that will help inform healthy eating habits for everyone. Tomorrow, the National Health and Medical Research Council will release its draft Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating for public consultation. The draft guidelines provide evidence-based advice to health professionals and the general public about food choices to promote health and...