Establishing the Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC) is an historic opportunity to fix Australia’s weak prevention system and improve population health. The draft legislation includes many strong elements including independence, transparency, and multidisciplinary expertise.
But deferring decisions about chronic disease prevention until 2028 is a mistake. Chronic diseases cause 85 per cent of illness in Australia; infectious diseases cause less than 4 per cent of illness. That’s why CDC-type agencies in OECD countries usually work on chronic disease prevention.
The draft legislation should clarify from the start that Australia’s CDC will aim to prevent chronic disease, advise on cost-effective prevention measures, and advise research funding bodies on prevention priorities. Every year of delay means more avoidable sickness and death.