Medical research in a 'precarious state’

Press, 3 July 1985, Page 29

Medical research in a 'precarious state’

PA Wellington Some American universities each got more Government health research funding than the Medical Research Council has to spend throughout New Zealand, says a leading medical researcher. The director of the Wellington Cancer and Medical Research Institute, Professor William Stehbens, said the funding situation of New Zealand research was worsening and was having a bad effect on the morales of workers. “It is essential for Government. and the public not only to appreciate the importance of research for

national development and prosperity but also to realise that funding of medical research in New Zealand is far from adequate,” he wrote in the institute’s annual report. “Fewer and fewer research projects are now being funded by the Medical Research Council — even though approved for funding on scientific merit — and in 1985 all grants have been cut by 15 per cent. “This cut on top of the 20 per cent devaluation of 1984, the continued escalation in costs and the imminent salary increases places medical research in a very precarious state.” Professor Stehbens said

the damage caused by research cuts was likely to outweigh by far any money saved in the short-term. “The acute shortage of funds will discourage potential young investigators from pursuing an academic and research career, and after all it is from this rank of investigators that future advisers to Government on research and health problems will be sought.” Professor Stehbens said that apart from himself and two other senior officers, staff at the institute were on one-year to three-year salary grants. “Continuation of their salaries is often not known until one month from expiration of the grant. Such insecurity makes it difficult to attract and retain topflight investigators.” He said it was incongruous that medical research funding in New Zealand was through the council, and not universities as overseas. “Research is an essential function, indeed many enlightened educationists consider it to be the primary function of a university.” Because of the difficulties, more and more money was needed from private donations to keep research going, Professor Stehbens said. The Government gave the Medical Research Council about $9 million this year to distribute to numerous research projects.