WA's leading medical research organisation The Kids Research Institute Australia has welcomed the Federal Government's commitment to legislate the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) by August 1 and begin distributing funding this year.
The Kids Director Professor Jonathan Carapetis said the budget announcement is a boost to families and children whose health future depends on the discovery of better treatments and cures and sends a positive message to the research sector.
"We know that the MRFF has the potential to be transformative by increasing the health and wellbeing of Australians, reducing costs in the health sector and securing a future for medical researchers so we continue to attract the brightest researchers to tackle these big health issues," he said.
"We know that money invested now in improving the health and wellbeing of children and young people will have a lifelong effect and bring continued benefits to not only that child, but the broader community."
Treasurer Joe Hockey confirmed in his budget speech that the Government will distribute $400 million from the MRFF for health and medical research over the next four years, beginning with an initial disbursement of $10 million in 2015-16.The MRFF is projected to reach its target of $20 billion by 2019-20.
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