The Federal Health Minister says Australia's COVID-19 studies could make it a leader in future medical research and clinical trials.

Health Minister Greg Hunt says the world is watching the success of Australia's health response to the pandemic.

“One thing we can do, because we've been COVID safe, because our health system is seen as doing so well, we have a golden opportunity to be a global leader in attracting new medical research, technology and clinical trials to Australia,” Mr Hunt said over the weekend.

“We want to work with the states to simplify the clinical trial process to really give Australians better access to medicines and better access to new medical jobs.”

Australian Association of Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) president Jonathan Carapetis agrees that there is an opportunity to grow both pandemic-related research and other areas.

“I think if Australia doesn't take this opportunity to really put ourselves forward as one of the leading medical research countries in the world then that is an absolute tragedy,” he said.

Professor Carapetis says Australia has a reputation for its stable medical research sector.

“We also have the ability to attract people from overseas … who right now are having trouble doing research, having trouble envisaging a stable place to do their research,” he said.

“We could attract some of that talent here.

“I can tell you that the medical research sector and AAMRI will not be quiet about this, we are already working with organisations like Research Australia about how this is an opportunity for genuine reform of the sector.”