This report summarises the second annual Horizon Scanning Forum, exploring four therapeutic areas – novel vaccines for infectious diseases, novel antimicrobials, cell and gene therapies, and digital health – where innovation is rapidly outpacing regulation. The report advocates for urgent reform to ensuring timely patient access to life-saving and life-improving treatments.

These priorities guide research investments made by the Medical Research Future Fund in order to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians and to develop the Australian biomedical research industries. The priorities are set every two years in alignment with the five-yearly medical research and innovation strategy.

A health technology assessment (HTA) involves a range of processes and mechanisms that use scientific evidence to assess health technologies for their quality, safety, efficacy, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. This report of the HTA review makes 50 recommendations across a range of areas, including improving access to new health technologies, tackling inequity, and making HTA processes...

This research paper considers the role digital technology can play in improving patient outcomes and enhancing productivity in healthcare. Drawing on case studies, the paper finds that better integrating digital technology into everyday practice could save more than $5 billion a year and ease pressures on Australia's healthcare system.

The briefing explains that the consensus amongst health professionals is that widespread use of precision health technologies is inevitable and, in some cases, already happening. Despite this, implementation in New Zealand lacks national coordination and is largely occurring in an unplanned manner.