$6.46 billion invested in Australian health and medical research
24 Sep 2026
A joint report from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care outlines how the two national funding bodies are supporting researchers and strengthening Australia’s health and medical research system.
The MRFF and NHMRC have different but complementary roles, covering areas from basic research and discovery through to new treatments, services and innovation.
Key findings from the report include:
- $6.46 billion across 4,012 grants: NHMRC provided $3.8 billion through 2,938 grants, while MRFF provided $2.66 billion through 1,074 grants.
- $2.38 billion for clinical medicine and science: This accounted for 36.8% of total funding. The two funders also supported basic science, health services and public health research.
- More than $643 million for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research: Funding for research focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health represented 10.2% of the total investment.
- Improving gender balance: Women received 49.2% of MRFF funding and 47.5% of NHMRC funding during the four-year period, bringing funding shares closer to an even split.
- Funding across Australia: Research grants were awarded in every state and territory. Victoria received 1,627 grants worth $2.73 billion, while New South Wales received 1,162 grants worth $1.84 billion.
The report provides an overview of where national health and medical research funding was directed and how these investments are contributing to research capacity and health outcomes across Australia.
$6.46 billion invested in Australian health and medical research
Source: Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care — Joint report on MRFF and NHMRC funding from 2021–22 to 2024–25.