Spending on research

Research is not included as part of the AIHW Disease expenditure database. This section presents National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) expenditure for disease, research and health areas from 2020–21 to 2022–23.

  • In 2022–23, $1.4 billion was spent through the NHMRC expenditure on disease, research and health
  • The highest spending in 2022–23 was for Neurological diseases ($187.8 million), followed by spending for Infectious diseases ($169.7 million) and Cancer ($161.1 million)
  • Neurological diseases attracted the highest spending each year
  • From 2020–21 to 2022–23, a total of $15.9 million was for COVID–19 research

The table below shows the NHMRC expenditure for disease, research and health areas from 2020–21 to 2022–23. A comparison of NHMRC expenditure for disease, research and health areas for years 2011–12 to 2022–23, can be downloaded from the data section.

Table 1: NHMRC expenditure for disease, research and health areas 2020–21 to 2022–23 ($ million)

Disease, research and health areas1

2020–21

2021–22

2022–23

Balance, Eye and Hearing Diseases

22.1

23.6

24.1

Blood Diseases

23.0

23.0

25.1

Cancer

161.5

155.8

161.1

Cardiovascular Disease

104.8

100.5

94.1

Congenital and Genetic Diseases

96.4

90.5

94.9

Endocrine, Metabolic and Nutritional Diseases

111.4

110.6

108.2

Environmental and Occupational Health

19.0

22.1

24.2

Gastrointestinal Diseases

44.3

43.2

43.0

Genitourinary Diseases

37.4

37.2

36.7

Immunological Diseases2

75.8

71.0

76.0

Infectious Diseases

161.6

163.2

169.7

Injury

48.0

48.2

49.3

Mental Health3

101.1

102.5

102.8

Musculoskeletal Diseases

43.9

42.2

42.8

Neurological Diseases

199.7

193.7

187.8

Orofacial Diseases

2.4

2.6

2.7

Reproductive Health

69.6

67.8

70.0

Respiratory Diseases

56.2

55.9

53.5

Skin Diseases

10.6

11.2

10.2

COVID-19

0.9

5.1

9.9

Total

1,389.6

1,370.0

1,386.1

Notes

  1. These disease, health and research topics are based on the International Classification of Disease (ICD) produced by the World Health Organisation.
  2. The figures in the table above for Immunological Diseases have been modified to exclude immunological research specifically related to cancer. These figures relate to research relevant to allergy, autoimmune diseases, and immunodeficiency.
  3. Includes research into addiction and research into eating disorders.

Source: NHMRC.