Why do health & medical research?
Health and medical research is about committed human endeavour, striving to improve health and quality of life. It also contributes to economic growth and prosperity through developing new products, new business enterprises and new jobs. In the last fifty years, medical research has provided us with discoveries that have improved our lives immeasurably. We take it for granted that we are now able to cure many diseases that killed people up until the 1940’s. One great achievement, Howard Florey’s work to purify penicillin, has averted untold suffering and death of people the world over. Today we face different life and health threats from those faced by previous generations. Vaccines, healthier lifestyles, new medicines and treatments, and advances in surgical methods (such as organ transplatation, artificial joints and keyhole surgery) have not only increased our life spans, but given us better lives. Discovery is a labour intensive and lengthy process. Against the backdrop of committe
