The nation’s peak lung health body has commended the focus on health research in this year’s federal budget as excellent news for the future of lung health in Australia.
Lung Foundation Australia CEO Mark Brooke said $1.4 billion over 13 years in new health and medical research through the Medical Research Future Fund, including an additional $411.6 million for low survival cancers and reducing health inequities would save lives.
‘Lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer death in Australia, with a five-year survivorship of just 22 per cent – the government’s commitment to the new 10-Year Low Survival Cancers Mission and the 10-Year Reducing Health Inequities Mission is a real opportunity to increase this rate substantially, one of our organisation’s long-standing goals,’ said Mr Brooke.
‘Lung Foundation Australia has advocated tirelessly when it comes to equitable outcomes for cancer diagnoses and treatments in our country, and we know the more investment in vital research, the greater the benefits and savings on the health care system in the long run.’
Mr Brooke said Lung Foundation Australia wanted to particularly commend Health Minister Butler, noting that if Australians with lung cancer are diagnosed at Stage I, their five-year survival rate nears 70 per cent.
Pivotal time
Mr Brooke said the funding package came at a pivotal time for lung cancer investment and research in Australia, with the recently released Australian Cancer Plan and the imminent start of a National Lung Cancer Screening program both monumental steps towards more equitable outcomes for cancer diagnoses and treatments across the country.
‘These outcomes are a culmination of years of listening, consultation and taking on feedback from thousands of knowledgeable Australians; from the general public to the health sector, and government agencies,’ he said.
‘We look forward to continuing to work alongside the Albanese Government as they develop a National Health and Medical Research Strategy and extend our congratulations to the lung disease and lung cancer researchers whose vital work will be able to continue and be expanded through this commitment.’
Mr Brooke said key details of the latest budgetary announcement included a commitment for MRFF Research Missions to bring together key researchers, health professionals, stakeholders, industry partners and patients to tackle big health challenges, while the Low Survival Cancers Mission would investigate ways to improve outcomes for Australians with cancers where less than 50 per cent of people survive more than 5 years after diagnosis.
