"What's the fuss" Medical Research Future Fund support campaign

Natasha Stott Despoja is one of the many
spokespeople for the #WTFuss campaign

The Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) has launched its  'What's the Fuss?' campaign in support of the Federal Government's Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

Two Hudson Institute researchers, Professor Alan Trounson and Dr Morag Young, feature in a YouTube video, which you can watch below.

'What's the Fuss?' is a community-led TV and online campaign featuring patients, researchers, and high-profile advocates of medical research. It communicates to the broader community the critical role medical research plays in the health of all Australians, and how the MRFF will further enhance these benefits.

The campaign includes a 30 second TV commercial, online videos, and a website (www.whatsthefuss.org.au) where people can share their own stories of disease/medical research.

30 second advertisment: https://youtu.be/dpFNPPeLk84

Researchers video: https://youtu.be/isN5A-WWTeg

Patients video: https://youtu.be/kX-Xzx0AU3k

Various medical conditions video: https://youtu.be/ue5bRGwq6CE

Hashtag: #WTFuss

Medical funding needs boosting - ASMR campaign

In 2014, NHMRC project grant success rates were below 15% and are the lowest in our history. These funding rates mark a significant drop of over 8% since 2011. This year our sector faces its toughest challenge yet, with NHMRC project grant success rates predicted to drop below 10%. In addition, the NHMRC budget allocation in 2014 dropped below the 2008 investment. If we don’t act immediately, this reduced investment into health and medical research (HMR) will result in attrition of a world-class, highly skilled and productive workforce and also negatively impact our capacity to improve health outcomes.

The Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) is calling for all medical researchers and supporters of medical research to write letters to our minsters ASAP and before next Tuesday's (12 May 2015) budget announcements, requesting an increase in funding for the NHMRC.  See the ASMR website campaign page for more context and a form letter. Email addresses can be found on the second page of this letter.