$25million research fund to tackle COVID-19

The NSW Government is injecting $25million to fast-track statewide research and clinical trials to tackle the global COVID-19 pandemic and reduce its impact on the community.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the funds are part of about $800 million in extra health funding by the NSW Government to bolster the health system.

“Already researchers in NSW have made huge inroads to improve diagnostics and potentially aid the eventual creation of a vaccine by growing the novel coronavirus,” Mr Hazzard said.

“The $25million funding boost will further assist the collaborative research efforts of clinicians, universities and research hubs with crucial roles in the NSW COVID-19 response”.

The funding will be directed to research focused on accurate and timely diagnosis of COVID-19; support conducting COVID-19 clinical trials including vaccine trials; monitoring, developing and evaluating strategies to slow community transmission; developing and evaluating treatments for COVID-19; preventing the need for intensive medical care; and minimising the impact of physical and psychological trauma on the community.

 The $25million is on top of $108million already invested in medical research in 2019-2020 and will help ensure all research findings on COVID-19 can be implemented rapidly.

The extra funding will also support clinician-led research into the COVID-19 impacts on the healthcare workforce, vulnerable populations and regional, rural and remote communities.

Professor Anthony Kelleher, director of the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney, said the institute is leading several research projects on COVID-19, including developing an antiviral therapy.

“The infectious disease expertise within the NSW medical research sector is truly world class, and we are eager to turn this investment into research that will transform this pandemic and ultimately save lives,” Mr Kelleher said.

 NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said the funding would go a long way to progressing urgent research to minimise the health, social and economic impacts of COVID-19 in NSW.