Celebrating 50 years of discovery

Over the past 50 years the Children's Medical Research Institute has contributed to the advances in paediatric health and well-being in many ways including;

Lifesavers

• The CMRI developed a heart-lung machine which thousands of premature babies have relied on in their first few weeks. Before the machine was introduced in 1970, 40 per cent of premature babies with respiratory distress syndrome died. Four years later, this number was reduced to 6 per cent.

• Nearly 9 millions Australians born since 1975 can be thankful that their mothers were aware of the danger s of taking aspirin during pregnancy. CMRI researchers have shown the link between the medicine and complications in pregnancy.

• Researchers at the CMRI also established the connection between rubella in pregnancy and congenital blindness.

The CMRI relies on community support to do its vital work.

(CMRI is not involved in human embryonic stem cell research)