Albanese government pledges $50m for long Covid research as inquiry calls for action

Parliamentary committee calls for a range of new responses to ‘significant problem’, including a national database and research program

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The Australian government has pledged a $50 million funding boost for research into long Covid, as a parliamentary inquiry called for the establishment of a single Covid-19 database and a nationally coordinated research program into the condition.

The health minister, Mark Butler, said that the $50 million investment, provided from the Medical Research Future Fund, was an initial response to the inquiry.

Establish and fund a single Covid-19 database to be administered by the Australian Centre for Disease Control, which is currently in development. This database would capture data on Covid infections, hospitalisations, deaths and vaccination rates; and long Covid diagnoses.

Use the World Health Organization definition of long Covid for the time being, but work with the states and territories to review the definition of long Covid as more research becomes available.

Establish a nationally coordinated research program into Covid and long Covid.

Task the pharmaceutical benefits advisory committee with regularly reviewing the benefits of antiviral treatments for Covid-19, with a view to expanding the list of groups eligible to access these treatments through the pharmaceutical benefits scheme.

Support and educate primary healthcare providers to diagnose long Covid and to help manage those suffering from it.

Establish and fund a multidisciplinary advisory body including ventilation experts, architects, aerosol scientists, industry, building code regulators and public health experts to develop national indoor air quality standards.

Consider a comprehensive summit into the Covid-19 pandemic and Australia’s past and current response

Provide funding for research into and patient support for those affected by myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), an often debilitating post-viral condition.