• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Government Plan will Kill Medical Research in Australia

insearchof

Senior Member
Messages
598
It seems that the Gillard government in its attempt to bring the budget back into balance -after the Queensland floods, is going to slash $400M from the NHMRC budget for medical research.

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Victoria have publicly stated that this will stop research dead and will put Australia back 10 years in the general field. The institute also said that it will effectively put us into a position where we will not be able to respond to a health crisis, because it will jeapodise production of vaccines/treatments.

The cuts represent 20% of the NHMRC budget and will be spread over 3 years.

Several researchers and universities have written open letters of complaint and the Walter and Eliza Hall Inst in Melbourne has started a campaign here:

http://www.discoveriesneeddollars.org/rallyforresearch

If we ever want to see any research in Australia on XMRV, ME CFS - then we need to support this campaign.

There will be a rally between 12.45 - 2pm at the State Library Victoria to protest about this on 12th April, 2011. See: http://www.discoveriesneeddollars.org/rallyforresearch.


Please spread the word.


Here are some ideas on what you might like to do:


*Write a letter of complaint to your local member See here for help: http://www.discoveriesneeddollars.org/get_involved


*Contact talk back radio and tell them:

- that there is NO biomedical research taking place here re XMRV in CFS

-As for CFS research: According to the ME CFS Society of Australia only $117,000 per annum has been invested over the last 25 years or $1.17 per patient in stark contrast to $400 per patient for HIV/AIDS

-if you are physically unable to attend the rally- tell them and ask them if one of their listeners will attend the rally in your place ie by proxy.

Ask them if they will match up all ME CFS patients/listners who call the station and who would like to attend,-but who are unable to - with an able bodied proxy listener who might be prepared to go in their place.

-if you live interestate, ring and complain to your local radio station and ask them if they will link up with an affiliated radio station in Melbourne and promote the proxy idea for people in your state.

*If you have friends or family that work in Melbourne CBD area, may be you could encourage them to get there during their lunch hour?

*FaceBook and Twitter ideas here: http://www.discoveriesneeddollars.org/get_involved


ISO
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
If she wants the disabled working like she says she wants and is planning to put in place, she needs to fund more research!!

:( what is this country coming to be. Im starting to feel like our country is soon to be completely doomed.
Australia not a week goes by when some new awesome reseach is made public.. we are one of the leaders in many health fields in research. We lead the way in some heart fields, in some transplant fields.. our scientists discovered the cause of ulcers etc. Research (alas thou not in CFS field) makes me proud of this country.
Our PM (one which no one wanted in anyway so got in due to the independants choosing who would be PM) is screwing the country up.
 

insearchof

Senior Member
Messages
598
Hi Taniaaust1

If she wants the disabled working like she says she wants and is planning to put in place, she needs to fund more research!!

Absolutely. This needs to be made very clear.