Improving Decisions About The Funding Of High Cost Cancer Medicines In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$569,303.00
Summary
In this project, we will address the pressing policy question: How can those funding cancer medicines manage the intensifying economic and ethical challenges that they face? Specifically, we will explore ways of making funding decisions fairer and more legitimate in the eyes of different stakeholders, including patients, the general public, governments and pharmaceutical companies. We will also consider ways in which these guidelines might be generalised to the funding of other medicines.
Addressing Conflicts Of Interest In Public Health And Biomedicine: Enhancing Professional Integrity And Safeguarding The Public’s Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$583,014.00
Summary
It is common for health researchers, clinicians and policymakers to have "conflicts of interest" due, for example, to relationships with private industry. It is widely accepted that conflicts of interest can at times distort research, policymaking and practice, but there is no consensus as to how they should be conceptualised, assessed or managed In this project we will explore the causes and impacts of conflict of interest, and devise a sophisticated framework for managing them.
Optimising Men’s Uptake Of FIT Screening For Bowel Cancer: A Population Based Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$552,522.00
Summary
Men are more likely to die from bowel cancer but are not participating in the National Bowel Cancer Screening program to the same extent as women. The research group has devised simple messages that their previous research shows encourages men to use the screening kit. The team will compare the use of kits among men who get the Government’s usual invitations, with a group who receive invitations with the messages for men.
How Best To Protect Public Health: A Comparative Analysis Of Regulatory Safety Warnings On Medicines In Australia, Canada The European Union And The United States
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,002,283.00
Summary
Medicines have important health benefits but can also lead to harm. When new safety concerns arise, national regulatory agencies issue warnings to health professionals and the public. These warnings differ between countries, but no research has compared the effectiveness of different approaches. This study compares safety advisories on medicines in Australia, Canada, the United States, and the European Union in order to identify how to best protect public health.
Patterns Of Care And Experience Of Care For Adolescents And Young Adults With Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$669,096.00
Summary
There is increasing concern, across several countries, that outcomes of care for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer are not optimal. This project aims to improve outcomes of care for AYAs with cancer by providing information about the best way to organise health services. It will do this by describing patterns of care for 700 AYA patients with cancer; providing detailed data on experiences with care for 300 patients; and conducting in-depth qualitative interviews.
The Natural History Of Unassisted Smoking Cessation In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$329,595.00
Summary
The majority of ex-smokers who successfully quit have done so without using pharmaceutical or counselling support. This study will produce pioneering insights into how and why so many smokers successfully quit without formal assistance. The findings will be conveyed to government, not-for-profit groups, and tobacco cessation professionals in order to help foster favourable social climates for smoking cessation and construct empowering messages about smoking cessation via self-change strategies.
Characterising Quality Of Life And Its Determinants For Children With Intellectual Disability And Their Families
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$520,874.00
Summary
Approximately 2% of children are born with intellectual disability. They and their families often experience poor health and wellbeing. We will develop a measure of quality of life for affected children and then we will investigate how different factors affect both child and family quality of life. Our new measure will provide capacity to determine what treatments could improve the lives of affected children and their families.
Understanding And Preventing Hepatitis C Transmission Within Sexual Partnerships
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$383,286.00
Summary
Transmission of hepatitis C among people who inject drugs occurs primarily as a result of sharing of equipment used to inject drugs, the majority of which occurs between intimate couples. However, there is little research in this area. This study will produce sophisticated and nuanced data able to capture the complexities of equipment sharing in couples and use these insights to suggest recommendations for hepatitis C prevention strategies.
Does Gastrostomy Improve The Lives Of Children With Severe Disability And Their Families?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$645,101.00
Summary
Around 750 Australian children are born each year with severe intellectual disability. Problems may include feeding difficulties and frequent hospitalisations. Feeding via a gastrostomy tube into the stomach can be used. We will conduct a data linkage study in NSW and WA, and collect additional data in WA to investigate patterns of gastrostomy use and its safety, effectiveness and costs. Our findings will help the management of poor feeding in intellectual disability.
Quantifying The Effectiveness Of Pertussis Vaccine In Older Adults
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$448,703.00
Summary
Pertussis is the most poorly controlled vaccine preventable disease in Australia. Childhood pertussis is a well-known public health problem but adult pertussis is also common and has a significant burden on the health system, especially in adults over 65 years. Pertussis vaccines for adults are currently not funded by our national immunisation program. This project will provide vital data to inform whether pertussis vaccination is cost-effective in older Australian adults.