New report highlights fragile progress in mental health research funding - alongside growing EU investment

A major new report from the International Alliance of Mental Health Research Funders (IAMHRF) provides one of the most comprehensive analyses to date of global mental health research funding trends between 2014 and 2023 .

The findings show a mixed picture. While global mental health research expenditure nearly doubled between 2014 and 2020, funding has since declined substantially, with 2023 levels returning close to 2014 levels in real terms. The report warns that mental health research remains structurally underfunded relative to the scale of mental health conditions, which continue to account for a growing share of global disease burden.

At the same time, the analysis identifies more positive developments outside the United States. Mental health research investment in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Australia has grown significantly over the past decade, reflecting increasing recognition of mental health as a public health and research priority.

The report also highlights changing funding patterns across conditions. Historically neglected areas such as suicide, self-harm, psychosis, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders have seen increased investment in recent years. However, major inequalities remain, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where research funding continues to lag far behind global need.

Beyond the numbers themselves, the report raises broader questions about how governments, funders, and health systems prioritise mental health research—and whether current levels of investment are sufficient to respond to rising demand, unmet need, and the growing complexity of mental health care.