Heart Foundation congratulates Federal Government on $33.6 million to heart health of Australians

Media release: 29 September, 2022

The Heart Foundation is today congratulating the Federal Government for providing $33.6 million in funding for 41 vital cardiovascular research projects via the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

Today is World Heart Day, and the funding announcement was made in Melbourne this morning by Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon. Mark Butler MP.

Heart Foundation CEO David Lloyd congratulated the Minister and his Government, and said the funding would support Australia’s great cardiovascular minds to continue their groundbreaking and lifesaving work.

“The Heart Foundation has led the fight against heart disease in Australia for more than 60 years and today we warmly welcome the Government’s strong investment in cardiovascular research, noting it will continue to build Australia’s reputation for research excellence and innovation while saving and improving the lives of the many thousands of people touched by heart disease every year,” Mr Lloyd said.

Heart Foundation Chief Medical Adviser, Professor Garry Jennings AO, said the announcement coincided with World Heart Day – a global day of heart disease awareness.

“Heart disease sadly remains our nation’s number one killer, and so we thank the Government for its commitment to supporting the cardiovascular health of Australians,” Professor Jennings said.

“It’s important for Australians to know that they don’t have to wait for the outcome of this research to take action: they can do so today by taking our online heart age calculator or by talking to their GP about a Medicare subsidised Heart Health Check.

“The Heart Health Check is available for Australians aged 45 and over (30 and over if First Nations) and is a 20-minute consultation with their GP that has so far helped more than 300,000 Australians understand their heart health since it was introduced in 2019.”

“Our Heart Age Calculator is available online for anyone aged 35 and over and it uses a sophisticated algorithm to calculate the probability of a cardiovascular event occurring in the next five years based on your risk factors. It is an easy and accessible gateway to a conversation with your GP, should the calculator’s results give you any concern.”

To access the Heart Age Calculator, please visit https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/heart-age-calculator