THE Federal Government is providing $50 million to develop and commercialise the world's most advanced artificial heart, a technology that, it stated, could halve deaths from heart failure globally and contribute $1.8 billion to Australia.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said, "as well as the obvious health benefits, this is an incredible story of Australian ingenuity and sovereign manufacturing, with collaboration across universities, clinical hospitals and industry to develop the world's most advanced artificial heart".
The Artificial Heart Frontiers Program brought together five universities, three clinical partners and an Australian company to develop three next-generation cardiac technologies, collectively known as the Total Artificial Heart.
Every year, over 23 million people around the world suffer from heart failure, but only 6,000 will receive a donor heart.
Nearly 500,000 Australians live with heart failure.
Each year, around 60,000 Australians are diagnosed with the condition and are hospitalised for it.
Around 100 patients undergo a heart transplant each year for advanced heart disease, but many more don't get the chance.
Unlike previous devices, the Total Artificial Heart uses state-of-the-art magnetic levitation technology that promises to be durable for more than 10 years, is small enough to implant in a child, and powerful enough for an adult.
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