Australia’s National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation (NFMRI) has released a new report exploring how best to put health and medical research into practice. Titled From evidence to practice: Exploring translation pathways for clinical medical science and public health research, the report identified the gap between identifying evidence and translating it into policy, practice.

‘Many health scientists enter their fields with the purpose of creating new knowledge that will make a positive difference. However, the vast majority of research findings lay dormant in published papers, and can never impact the health of patients or the wider community. This is not only inefficient, but also presents an ethical conundrum,’ wrote NFMRI about its new report.

NFMRI hope that funders of health and medical research will take notice of the new report and spearhead efforts to bridge this gap, as their involvement can make a difference.

‘Funders must recognise that solely funding research is not sufficient for driving translation,’ the report asserts. ‘Foundations, charities and other funders have the opportunity to drive translation, not only via improved funding structures and grant application processes, but by influencing and supporting the systems, staff and capacity to proactively lead translation in research institutions and within their organisations. This represents a major paradigm shift within the research space, but would ultimately result in research impact and community benefits.’

Particularly during the pandemic, putting effective and identified health practices into use quickly and efficiently is as critical as ever. And in fact, the report identifies that there is already much can be learned from the response to COVID-19, as an example of what can be done rapidly.

The National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation is a foundation that seeks to support innovative areas of biomedical research primarily serving the general community in Australia, specifically in the areas of prevention and eradication of disease.