The Illawarra Women’s Health Centre has welcomed a ‘game-changing’ announcement for a landmark $50 million Endometriosis Research Institute in Sydney.
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) has announced it will establish the national Ainsworth Endometriosis Research Institute (AERI) following a $50 million donation.
The institute will aim to accelerate breakthroughs in diagnosis and create precision-based treatments for endometriosis, a condition affecting one in seven Australian women.
Professor Jason Abbott is a clinician and researcher at UNSW who has dedicated his career to researching and advocating for improving the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. He will be the Clinical Director at AERI and said the funding is a game-changer.
“Having cared for those with endometriosis for three decades, it is clear to me that we must go beyond the surgery and current medical treatments to understand the disease processes,” Prof. Abbott said.
“AERI is the most significant commitment to endometriosis research that I have ever seen. The donation from the Ainsworth family provides surety to endometriosis researchers, will drive program-driven scientific discoveries and pave the way for generational change for anyone who has, or knows someone with endometriosis.”
Sally Stevenson, Executive Director of the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre, said the planned approach of listening to women about their experiences is an “overdue shift” in endometriosis care.
“For too long, women suffering from endometriosis have been ignored, dismissed, and left to navigate debilitating pain without answers. This moment marks a long-overdue shift. The $50 million investment into the Ainsworth Endometriosis Research Institute and the inclusion of Ryeqo on the PBS are not just policy changes – they signal that women’s health is finally being taken seriously,” she said.
“Women have been telling their stories for decades – about pain that was minimised, about years spent searching for a diagnosis, about the physical, emotional, and financial toll of a disease that affects one in seven of us. These announcements mean that, at last, we are being heard.
“The AERI will drive the kind of groundbreaking, evidence-based research we’ve desperately needed – moving us toward earlier diagnosis, better treatment, and personalised care.”
The investment reflects growing national recognition of the economic and personal toll endometriosis takes on women, families, and workplaces across Australia.
On May 1, 2025, Relugolix with estradiol and norethisterone, known commercially as Ryeqo, was added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
The drug, previously costing $2,700 per year, will now be available for as little as $92 to $380, providing relief to around 8,500 women living with moderate to severe pain who have not found adequate support through other treatments.
A 2019 report by Ernst & Young, commissioned by Endometriosis Australia, found that endometriosis costs the Australian economy $9.7 billion annually. The report estimated that the average cost per woman with endometriosis is $30,900 per year due to medical expenses, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity.
