Health Research Council of New Zealand

The Health Research Council (HRC) was established under the Health Research Council Act of 1990.

The HRC mission is to improve human health by promoting and funding health research. It funds New Zealand health research, including biomedical, public health, health services, Maori health, Pacific health and clinical research.

Purchasing is organised into nine portfolios - Biological systems and technologies; Communicable diseases; Determinants of health; Health and independence of population groups; Health sector management and services; Injury and rehabilitation; Mental health and neuroscience; Non-communicable diseases and Rangahau Hauora Maori (Maori health research). HRC also funds many valuable career development awards.

The HRC accredits regional and institutional ethics committees which approve research proposals, and advises the government on the scientific merit of clinical and gene therapy trials.

The HRC organises annual conferences on health research issues. It publishes a newsletter, Ethics Notes and HRC Panui (about Maori health research), a statutory Annual report and an annual Health Research Highlights.