NHMRC and the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) are promoting excellence in consumer and community involvement through videos and case studies.
All individuals featured in the videos have contributed to the review of the Statement on Consumer and Community Involvement in Health and Medical Research and discuss the benefits of effective consumer and community involvement in health and medical research.
Each case study was developed in collaboration with the individuals or organisations mentioned.
Find the latest videos and case studies below – more will be released throughout the consultation. If you have a case study on consumer and community involvement you would like to share with us, please email priorities@nhmrc.gov.au.
Videos
NHMRC's CEO, Professor Steve Wesselingh, discusses consumer and community involvement at the Queensland Aphasia Research Centre (QARC) and the importance of having your say on the review, in the Consumer and community involvement is essential for high quality research video.
Dr Elizabeth Deveny, CEO of the CHF describes the value of having a Consumer Statement in the real life and lived experience video.
Adjunct Professor Darryl O’Donnell discusses the impact people have in the consumer and community involvement in research can lead to breakthroughs video.
Ms Merryn Carter provides insight into the value consumers and communities can bring to research in the helping plot a path towards a cure video.
Case Studies
The NHMRC Consumer Involvement Award is a biennial award that recognises an individual or an organisation that has made a long-term contribution to consumer and community involvement in health and medical research. The Queensland Aphasia Research Centre received the award in 2023, followed by Professor James St John of Griffith University in 2025.
Additional case studies are available as PDFs in the downloads section below.
The Queensland Aphasia Research Centre, The University of Queensland
Aphasia is an acquired language difficulty that affects a person’s ability to communicate. It can affect how a person speaks, their understanding, reading and writing. Aphasia is caused by damage to the language areas of the brain. This can be because of stroke, brain injury, or other damage to the brain. Communication is important, and aphasia can have a devastating impact on a person living with aphasia and their family and friends.
Acknowledging this impact, the Queensland Aphasia Research Centre (QARC) works with people living with aphasia, their friends and family, clinicians, researchers and other allied health professionals to identify the priorities and needs of aphasia services in Queensland and beyond, and to co-design health interventions. These innovative and effective interventions aim to improve the lives of those living with aphasia, and their families and friends.
Read more about the important work QARC is doing by visiting the QARC website.
Professor James St John, Griffith University
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves and fibres that runs down the back of the body. Its job is to carry messages from the brain to the rest of the body. Spinal cord injuries can lead to permanent loss of strength, sensation and function below the level of injury. People living with spinal cord injury can be impacted by depression, loss of independence and reduced employment and education opportunities.
Currently, there is no clinically available therapy for spinal cord injury.
Identifying this unmet need, Professor James St John established a consumer involvement program, engaging with people living with spinal cord injury, to co-design an innovative spinal cord injury cell transplantation therapy. This has led to a world first phase I clinical trial that will test the safety and feasibility of implanting cellular nerve bridges into the chronically injured spinal cord.
Listen to Professor St John discuss his research in NHMRC’s Speaking of Science Webinar on Empowering consumers in health and medical research.
