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