Advocacy Activities

MS Research Australia, in conjunction with MS Australia, advocates on behalf of people with MS to certain government agencies and other regulatory bodies. Although MS impacts people differently, there are common, fundamental issues for people affected by the disease.

While MS Australia is the peak body for national advocacy for people with MS in Australia. MS Research Australia supports and collaborates with MS Australia in this work. However, MS Research Australia is also committed to ensuring that the research findings and research evidence are translated into better outcomes for all people with MS. To this end MS Research Australia makes advocacy submissions (scroll to the bottom of the page to view our submissions) to relevant public consultations from a range of sources including:

• Government departments aiming to change legislation about healthcare, access to treatments and services, and support for medical research (e.g. House of Representatives Standing Committees, the Commonwealth or State Departments of Health).
• Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA) which decides whether a medication can be prescribed in Australia and the conditions under which they can be prescribed.
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Council (PBAC) which makes recommendations as to whether a medication should be made available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and is therefore eligible for subsidy from the Australian government.

MS Research Australia also liaises directly with government and state-based funding bodies to advocate for an increased focus on research and better treatments for people with MS, including:

• National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) the national funding body for health and medical research in Australia.
• Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) which will provide grants to support health and medical research and innovation from 2017 onwards. These grants will aim to translate research findings into clinical practice, with the objective of improving the health and wellbeing of all Australians.
• Commonwealth Government Department of Health – an important and long term national funding partner organisation of  MS Research Australia.
• State Government Health and Medical Research Departments

MS Research Australia works collaboratively with other like-minded charities including via The Australian Immunological Alliance.

Globally, MS Research Australia is involved in research advocacy activities for people with MS, via the following strategic alliances, membership and/or endorsements;

• Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF)
• International Progressive MS Alliance
• MS Brain Health: Time Matters in MS – Global Health Initiative