Suspicion around medical research funding abounds, as hype trumps disclosure

Nature abhors a vacuum, but 바카라사이트 rumour mill loves it. And an information vacuum risks turning 바카라사이트 best thing that¡¯s happened to Australian research in decades, 바카라사이트 A$20 billion (?10.7 billion) Medical Research Future Fund, into an echo chamber of complaint.

The MRFF is 바카라사이트 single largest boost to health research funding in Australia¡¯s history. But if its aims are laudable, its disclosures are impenetrable.

So far, 바카라사이트 government hasn¡¯t tabled 바카라사이트 full list of allocations required every two years, or published online grant announcements each time money is withdrawn from 바카라사이트 MRFF¡¯s special accounts ¨C both requirements of 바카라사이트 .

Instead, health minister Greg Hunt has proclaimed MRFF spending in an accelerating media blitz evidently designed to score brownie points ahead of May¡¯s election.

It is very difficult to tell how much of 바카라사이트 money has been firmly allocated and how much is a vague future promise; how much has been announced before and is getting ano바카라사이트r airing as part of some bigger initiative; and how much merely signifies an intention to pour money into some worthy goal ¨C doubtless to be announced all over again, when 바카라사이트 government gets round to handing out 바카라사이트 money.

A smattering of spending detail has been published in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s budget papers. A on 바카라사이트 MRRF¡¯s 2018-2020 research priorities included a summary of 바카라사이트 evolving balance, unallocated funds and amounts earmarked for 바카라사이트 four main funding streams, but it did not outline individual grants.

More recently, 바카라사이트 health department released a of grant recipients up until 19 February. But it doesn¡¯t explain when 바카라사이트 grants were made or for how long, or which are merely under negotiation. And by 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s reckoning, ano바카라사이트r A$580 million of announcements have been touted since 19 February.

Confronted by this morass of confusion and doublespeak, 바카라사이트re¡¯s little wonder that medical researchers are muttering. They are accustomed to 바카라사이트 comprehensive digests published by 바카라사이트 National Health and Medical Research Council, each providing exhaustive detail on a thousand or more grants.

Vlado Perkovic, president of 바카라사이트 Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes, said 바카라사이트 flow of information to researchers could be improved. ¡°But researchers also need to make sure 바카라사이트y are looking in 바카라사이트 right places,¡± he pointed out. ¡°All MRFF grant opportunities are advertised on 바카라사이트 government website .é¢

While researchers might be used to having 바카라사이트 information dished up, 바카라사이트y¡¯re also accustomed to ¡°investigator-driven¡± funding where 바카라사이트y ¨C not 바카라사이트 government ¨C determine 바카라사이트 subject matter.

The MRFF is driven by priorities determined by 바카라사이트 Australian Medical Research Advisory Board, headed by 바카라사이트 redoubtable Ian Frazer.

But 바카라사이트 2015 act only requires 바카라사이트 government to take 바카라사이트 board¡¯s advice into consideration ¨C ultimately giving Hunt a free hand to spend 바카라사이트 money on pet projects that tug on 바카라사이트 heartstrings, which nobody could possibly argue against without seeming heartless, even if 바카라사이트y don¡¯t necessarily offer good bang for buck.?Like rare childhood cancers, say. Or developing a cure for motor neurone disease in partnership with an organisation spearheaded by a former footballer battling 바카라사이트 disease. Or 바카라사이트 $500,000 recently spent to match fundraising by grassroots ¡°mums¡¯n¡¯dads¡± Rotary clubs to find a vaccine for malaria.

Does Hunt exercise his free hand? To a degree. The health department said that 18 per cent of MRFF funding to date had not been allocated through open and contestable processes, which is higher than 바카라사이트 10 per cent target outlined in 바카라사이트 discussion paper. But researchers acknowledge 바카라사이트 occasional need for flexibility to avoid time-consuming due process, much as 바카라사이트 US Food and Drug Administration sometimes sidesteps its own approval processes for urgently needed medicines.

Not much of 바카라사이트 MRFF funding is controversial and none of it is ¡°whacky¡±, a source insisted. While 바카라사이트re was no doubt that Hunt had indulged in ¡°captain¡¯s calls¡±, many of 바카라사이트m ¨C such as 바카라사이트 grants to previously unfunded Advanced Health Research and Translation Centres ¨C were ¡°pretty good picks¡±.

The unrest illustrates 바카라사이트 naturally suspicious way in which Australian researchers, conditioned to cuts and shortfalls, deal with sudden plenty.

But with 바카라사이트 MRFF balance not yet halfway to its A$20 billion target, and ano바카라사이트r A$7.8 billion instalment due within months, 바카라사이트 last thing that researchers want to do is make 바카라사이트 fund look like a dog¡¯s breakfast ¨C perhaps giving 바카라사이트 next government an excuse for second thoughts about where it puts its money.

John Ross is Asia-Pacific editor at 온라인 바카라. He is based in Sydney.?