AusBiotech has welcomed the Albanese Government’s announcement of a $13.6 million investment to advance national health and medical research reforms and further strengthen Australia’s clinical trials ecosystem.
The funding, announced by Health Minister Mark Butler, will support the design of the National One Stop Shop (NOSS) for clinical trials, the development of national standard operating procedures, the implementation of the National Clinical Trials Governance Framework, and the creation of an accreditation scheme for human research ethics committees.
The announcement marks a significant milestone following years of sustained advocacy and collaboration by AusBiotech and its partners in the Research and Development Taskforce (RDTF), a coalition between AusBiotech, Medicines Australia, and the Medical Technology Association of Australia, which has long called for national coordination and investment in clinical trials reform.
AusBiotech CEO Rebekah Cassidy said the organisation applauds the government’s commitment to reform, describing it as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to secure Australia’s global leadership in clinical research.
“We also have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to prioritise the entire pipeline,” Cassidy said. “That’s why we continue to advocate for a unified, whole-of-government strategic approach to the life sciences industry, whose numerous policy touchpoints — from research through to manufacturing — are currently dispersed across more than nine different government portfolios. If we only make incremental changes in isolated parts of the pipeline, we will fall short of the reform that is urgently needed.”
Cassidy emphasised that with more than 1,600 biotech and medtech companies operating in Australia, the country must ensure that innovation is backed at every stage of the pipeline. “Global competition for our homegrown capabilities is intensifying. We need to back innovation right here where it begins, so our economy, health security, and most importantly, our people, have access to Australian health innovation.”
Throughout 2025, AusBiotech has advocated for a policy agenda centred on four key priorities. They are the development of Australia’s first National Life Sciences Strategy, the establishment of an Australian Life Sciences Council, greater investment in data collection and evidence generation to drive innovation and improve policymaking, and formal recognition of life sciences as a national industry priority.
Cassidy said the latest investment was an essential step in the right direction, but stressed the need for a broader strategic framework to underpin it.
“Australia’s clinical trials ecosystem is world-class — built on exceptional research expertise, strong infrastructure, and collaboration. This investment will help ensure it remains globally competitive. But we must also connect these reforms to a bigger vision that secures Australia’s position as a global leader in clinical research and life sciences innovation,” she said.
AusBiotech said it will continue to work closely with the government, industry, and the research community to ensure reforms, such as the National One Stop Shop, deliver tangible benefits for patients and researchers, while laying the groundwork for a cohesive, whole-of-sector national strategy.