AusBiotech will be celebrating International Clinical Trials (CT) Day on 20 May, recognising the Australian leadership and excellence in CTs and the social and economic value they deliver to Australia.
International Clinical Trials Day is celebrated around the world on or near 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.
Australia’s first rate facilities and quality of medical research are internationally recognised. Commencing over 1,000 CTs annually, they represent AU$1 billion industry investment, with globally leading pharmaceutical companies investing around $200 million per annum. Australia’s proximity to Asia, combined with our diverse population and robust regulations, brings a strong advantage in this competitive market.
AusBiotech recognises the importance of CTs in research and development by advocating for a more effective environment within Australia, while also promoting our global leadership in this area at international speaking opportunities, such as Biotech Showcase at JP Morgan, the Asian Investment Series, BioKorea, and BIO.
Actively participating in formal quorums and processes, AusBiotech sits on the Federal Government’s Clinical Trials Collaborative Forum which identifies issues, exchanges information and engages in collaborative problem solving, with a view to reducing duplication and improving the clinical trials environment. AusBiotech has also engaged with on the Clinical Trials Governance Framework which aims to improve quality, efficiency and timeliness of clinical trials by reducing duplication and increasing efficiency, cohesion and productivity across the clinical trials sector.
The AusBiotech Clinical Trials Advisory Group (ABCtag) assists and advises in the development of policy positions. Arthur Brandwood and Mie Ohama both represent AusBiotech on Standards Australia’s HE-30 committee – which looks after Australian national input to the ISO 10993 biocompatibility and ISO 14155 clinical trials standards. In the recent April Australian Biotechnology journal, Mie Ohama (Medtronic Clinical Research Institute) updated us on the new ISO 14155 – what has changed and what it means for your clinical studies. In the October issue, Arthur Brandwood (Brandwood Capital) will provide an update on the changes in ISO 10993.
Clinical Trials Day is a well-deserved ‘time out’ to recognise the skilled people who conduct clinical trials and to say thank you for what they do every day to improve public health.
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