Arthritis research ‘chronically underfunded’ despite major disease burden

Research into Australia’s leading form of disability is ‘chronically underfunded’, a landmark report has revealed. A young sufferer is trying to change that.

Research into arthritis is gravely underfunded despite the disease accounting for almost one-sixth of Australia’s disease burden, a landmark report has revealed.

As Australia’s leading cause of disability, and accounting for 13 per cent of the nation’s disease burden, arthritis exists in the same playing fields as cardiovascular disease, mental health and cancer. The musculoskeletal ­condition, however, receives just 1 per cent of the funding from the Medical Research Future Fund.

Arthritis Australia, which commissioned the report, is calling for an urgent and renewed focus on funding to find more effective treatments.

“Arthritis research is chronically underfunded at the expense of patients,” chief executive Jonathan Smithers told The Australian. “We’re talking about one of the country’s most widespread and expensive diseases – 3.6 million Australians, costing $14bn to the taxpayer. Other illnesses tend to receive far more airtime, not that they don’t deserve it, but arthritis needs not to be left out.”

Melbourne patient Jenna McHardy, 21, received a diagnosis of a rare form of spinal arthritis two years ago, after a half-decade of being accused of faking her symptoms. “It took years and a very bad flare-up before I was able to get an MRI. I couldn’t run anymore, and I had teachers who assumed I was being lazy or trying to get out of participating in something I’d once loved.”

Jenna McHardy, 21, was accused by teachers of faking her painful symptoms before receiving a diagnosis of spinal arthritis. Picture: Supplied.

Doctors and teachers dismissed her concerns as “growing pains”, she said. “Every little movement hurts,” she said.

Arthritis was poorly understood, Arthritis Australia medical director Susanna Proudman said.

With up to 180 distinct varieties, some forms of the disease are considered very rare.

“We have very high-quality researchers in the field in Australia, but it’s difficult to get a funding commitment,” Professor Proudman said. “It’s a difficult disease to crack, which is precisely why it needs funding so desperately. ”