Overview
Professor Andrew Coats, scientific director and chief executive of Australia's Heart Research Institute, has issued a warning regarding the future of medical research careers in Australia. He attributes this to diminishing success rates for government-funded research grants, which he states are hindering Australia's research output and impacting careers. This situation occurs despite approximately $5 billion in Australia's Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) remaining unspent.
Grant Success Rates and Career Impact
Coats reported observing several researchers abandon their careers due to job insecurity linked to low grant success rates. He noted that recent grant rounds had a success rate of one in 10, posing a risk to researchers who have dedicated a decade to their fields. He advises against pursuing a career in medical research due to job insecurity and family pressures. Major grant applications typically require three months to prepare, with a low chance of success, leading to wasted effort and talented researchers leaving the field.
Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Discrepancy
Reports indicate that 92% of Australian medical researchers applying for the National Health and Medical Research Council's (NHMRC) annual "ideas grants" were unsuccessful last year, with half of outstanding applications rejected. Simultaneously, the MRFF holds nearly $25 billion, exceeding its intended $20 billion baseline by approximately $5 billion. The fund was established to disburse $1 billion annually upon reaching its baseline, but the federal government currently releases only $650 million each year. Coats described this as "putting structural barriers in front of the true potential of Australian research."
Political Response and Calls for Change
Federal crossbench MPs, universities, and the research sector advocate for the Albanese government to increase annual disbursements from the MRFF. Parliamentary Budget Office costings, commissioned by independent MP Monique Ryan, suggest that annual disbursements could be raised to $1.4 billion without affecting a $24.5 billion base level over the next decade.
Health Minister Mark Butler addressed the issue by stating that the health and medical research budget has grown significantly over the past 15 years. He confirmed that the government is reviewing a report submitted last year, acknowledging calls from the sector for larger disbursements from the accrued capital fund.