$2 million injection bolsters complementary medicine research
Professor Scott Holmes, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Development), UWS; Judy Jacka, Vice Chairperson, Jacka Foundation for Natural therapies; and Professor Alan Bensoussan, Executive Director, NICM
The National Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM) has received a $2 million funding boost from renowned philanthropic organisation The Jacka Foundation of Natural Therapies (JFNT) to help bolster the future of complementary medicine research in Australia.
The generous gift will establish the Jacka Foundation Chair of Integrative Medicine Research, in partnership with the University of Western Sydney (UWS).
Establishment of the chair will help Australia evolve in a dynamic health landscape and keep pace with other world-leading institutes and universities that have already established such infrastructure.
The chair position will be in line with the World Health Organization's strategy of increasing public awareness and strengthening the role traditional (indigenous) and complementary medicine plays in keeping populations healthy.
Executive Director of the National Institute of Complementary Medicine at the University of Western Sydney, Professor Alan Bensoussan, said the initiative is an exciting opportunity to advance an area of under-resourced healthcare activity and will strengthen evidence for well-informed complementary medicine use by consumers and clinicians.
"Investment in a lead academic position like this one will strengthen the opportunity for greater translation from evidence into practice for all Australians.
"The field of complementary medicine is extremely broad – it encompasses all traditional systems of medicine including Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, Australian Indigenous medicine and others, and incorporates nutritional and herbal supplements including most vitamins and minerals that we use so regularly.
"The challenge is to provide reliable guidance and information to help doctors and their patients understand when complementary medicines may be appropriate to use.
"Two out of three Australians are using some type of complementary medicine regularly each year and of those, 40 per cent of the usage is for chronic illnesses that are identified as national health priorities in Australia.
"Yet the funding that we invest as a country into understanding these interventions through the National Health and Medical Research Council has averaged less than one per cent over the last decade.
"It is important that other support through philanthropy is given to this area, to increase the research effort."
Professor Bensoussan says the establishment of the chair position will help bring Australia closer to the rest of the world's position on complementary medicine, including the World Health Organization (WHO) Traditional Medicine Strategy (2014-2023).
"This is not an Australia-specific issue; strengthening the way in which evidence-based complementary medicine is integrated into care is on the radar of at least 70 per cent of the world's top medical schools, including Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Cambridge, Yale University, UCLA, Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, University of Toronto, Mayo and many more.
"In North America there are more than 60 academic integrative medicine centres that do research and provide services in this area, and there are around a dozen integrative chairs that already exist around the world. The addition of a chair in Australia will help bring our country up to speed."
Research led by the chair will contribute to judicious use of complementary medicine and better integration into conventional care. It will contribute data on safety, quality and efficacy of interventions and provide greater guidance to consumers – all consistent with Australia's National Medicines Policy.
Vice Chairperson of the Jacka Foundation of Natural Therapies (JFNT) Judy Jacka said the Foundation is honoured by the creation of the Jacka Foundation Chair of Integrative Medicine Research.
"This is an important contribution towards creating a synthesis in medicine that will improve the health and wellbeing of Australians," Ms Jacka says.
"We are delighted to have provided our first major philanthropic endeavours to NICM which has already proved to be accomplished in Complementary Medicine research, ranked as an ERA5* institute by the Australian Government.
"This university-based initiative means that the needed research into complementary therapies will result in evidenced-based medicine being applied to a wide range of health disorders, from both complementary and orthodox origins.
Domestic and international candidates will be able to apply for the position in the coming weeks at www.uws.edu.au/vacancies.
The successful candidate will have an exceptional track record, with evidence of research productivity, academic leadership and public engagement at the highest levels. NICM anticipates the new chair to be in place by December 2015.
About the National Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM)
The University of Western Sydney's National Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM) is Australia's leader in complementary medicine research and policy. Seed funded by the Commonwealth and State Governments, NICM plays a key national role in ensuring Australians have access to reliable evidence on complementary medicines and treatments in wide use. As an ERA 5 ranking institute, NICM is globally recognized for its world-class research and innovations in complementary medicine.
About the Jacka Foundation of Natural Therapies (JFNTA)
JFNT is a not-for-profit company and charitable fund that aims to improve awareness, understanding and use of natural therapies within the Australian community and to improve the knowledge and educational base underpinning their use. It was formally established in May 2010 by a company of members of the previous entity, the Southern School of Natural Therapies Ltd, who have a long history of involvement in complementary medicine education.
*About the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA)
Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) is a national evaluation of research quality in Australian universities conducted by the Australian Government. It is administered by the Australian Research Council (ARC). The ERA initiative confirms that researchers at Australian universities compete with the world's best in a wide range of disciplines. ERA utilises a five-point rating scale. The rating scale is broadly consistent with the approach taken in research evaluation processes in other countries to allow for international comparison. ERA5 is the highest rating, characterised by evidence of outstanding performance well above world standard presented by the suite of indicators used for evaluation.
Latest News
Western Sydney University appoints new Dean of Engineering, Design and Built Environment
Western Sydney University is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Brian Falzon as its new Dean of the School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment.
Western Sydney University appoints new Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education
Western Sydney University is delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Maryanne Dever as its new Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education.
Parramatta’s story captured in literature
The hunt is on for a new Laureate in Literature to help bring to life the vision for the future of Parramatta as it cements its position as the true heart of global Sydney.
Mobile options:
