A design fault in New Zealand's health research funding system exposed by pandemic influenza

[...]there have been no requests for investigator-led research proposals from official research funders or government agencies. Because of the importance of such research it is being carried out by the goodwill of health workers and academics. [...]we encourage the Health Research Council, Foundation for Research Science and Technology, and government agencies involved in health (e.g. the Ministry of Health, NZ Food Safety Authority, Department of Labour), to consider establishing mechanisms for rapid funding of research directed at fast moving events which may have major public health impacts.