AusBiotech, the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA), Medicines Australia and Research Australia will gather tomorrow for the Clinical Trials 2016 Breakfast and Award Ceremony, to celebrate Australian leadership and excellence in clinical trials and to mark International Clinical Trials (CT) Day.
International CT Day is celebrated around the world on 20 May to commemorate the day when James Lind commenced what is recognised as the first ever randomised clinical trial in scurvy in 1747, laying the foundations for modern clinical research.
This is the first time Australia’s four leading representative bodies covering public sector and private enterprise in clinical trials have come together to jointly celebrate the efforts and achievements of our outstanding clinical trials capability in Australia.
The annual AusBiotech CEO Biotechnology Industry Position Survey 2016 has revealed that, of the respondent companies, 54.55 per cent conducted or sponsored CTs in 2015 - which when aggregated was worth approximately A$34.4 million. The majority of Australian companies are engaged in Phase II (40 per cent) or Phase III (35 per cent) research.
CTs have an important role to play in Australia’s economy, healthcare and social fabric, with benefits far beyond helping develop new treatments. About 2,000 Australians take part in CTs each year. They assist in the improvement of the healthcare system, providing early access to unapproved treatments, as well as providing valuable economic activity and providing high level Australian jobs in science and research.
CTs, according to the Clinical Trial Action Group (CTAG) Report, are worth around $1 billion to the Australian economy annually. This includes around $650 million of foreign investment, with Australia attracting trials from around the world. Australia’s work to be internationally competitive will attract further foreign investment and a greater share of returns to the economy.
Australia is currently playing to its strengths in the area of pre-clinical trials and early phase clinical trials, where strong R&D capabilities are required and it is less dependent on patient numbers. It is a segment where Australia has a competitive edge.
The inaugural ACTA Trial of the Year Award will be presented at the Ceremony, recognising and celebrating the outstanding achievement of ACTA members who advance clinical trials.
The Ceremony will be held on Friday 20 May 2016, commencing at 8:00am in the Alfred Medical Research Precinct (AMREP) Lecture Theatre. It will be followed by breakfast in the adjacent AMREP Seminar Room and conclude at 9:30am.
Free registration is available while seats remain: register here. To find out more call 03 9928 1400 or visit the website.