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 acts as the peak body for national advocacy for people with MS in Australia, MS Research Australia is 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 provides support to a range of coordinated advocacy efforts from the Australian MS organisations. In particular, MS Research Australia collaborates with MS Australia to provide research, knowledge and treatment expertise and an evidence-base for coordinated responses 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 works directly with government and state-based funding bodies with a focus on research and better treatments for people with MS.

• 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.
• NSW State Government Office of Medical Research – an important state based funding partner of our MS Research Australia Clinical Trials Network and , formerly, our MS Research Australia Brain Bank located at the Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney.

MS Research Australia works collaboratively with other like-minded charities 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
• Time Matters in MS Global Health Initiative