Philanthropy, advocacy and vision

Research Australia has formed a new international alliance with key health research advocacy groups based in America, Sweden and Canada.

By forming an alliance the four national organisations - Research Australia, Research! America, Research Canada and Research Sweden - will collaborate and take an international approach to health and medical research advocacy.

“The four CEOs met physically for the first time,” said Elizabeth Foley, Chief Executive Officer of Research Australia. “Research Sweden is only two years old, whereas Research Canada arose from a mother advocacy organisation a little before Research Australia.”

Foley said the four members of the alliance agree that health and medical research is a shared benefit and responsibility, as well as an important investment for the future of health within each country.

“We could put out joint releases on particular areas, since we are all first-world countries, on the next big health issue such as obesity,” said Foley.

According to Foley, spending on health and medical research is about the same in each country from a government point of view, but it is higher in the US because of the greater philanthropic and business investment in the sector.

“If you dig behind the numbers you get a better understanding of each country,” said Foley. “A key benefit of this alliance, which involves sharing our strategies and approaches, is understanding how other health frameworks are carried out.”

This understanding will enable the organisations to support each other in making health and medical research a higher national priority, such as identifying ways to attract further philanthropic investment in the sector.