Opposition plan OKed by Medicines Australia

Medicines Australia, the trade association representing research-based drugmakers in Australia, has welcomed the announcement, by the opposition Australian Labor Party on July 10, of a new policy on innovation.

Kieran Schneemann, Medicines Australia's chief executive, said: "policy proposals to promote partnerships between the Australian medical research community and global pharmaceutical companies are whole-heartedly encouraged and supported by the industry."

Mr Scheemann added, in a conciliatory note towards an opposition that has lost the past four general elections, that the recent successes of Australia's medical research community have been based on "successive governments' support for medical innovation."