Pioneering partnerships Chair of Research Professor Bruce Robinson
For decades across NSLHD, we have conducted clinical trials in disciplines such as cancer, geriatrics, surgery, cardiovascular, diabetes, bone disease, and rheumatology.
By collaborating with patients, our clinicians and researchers have made life-changing discoveries, as well as stopping treatments that were found to be of little or no benefit to our patients. Our long-term goal has always been to involve more patients in clinical trials because of their extraordinary benefits. This vision is now becoming a reality as we enter a new chapter where clinical trials are the standard of care across the district.
We aim for every hospital in our district to run clinical trials, advancing science and providing care that patients might not otherwise receive. The advantages for patients joining clinical trials are immense. They can gain access to drugs that are not yet available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, often before they are listed. These drugs can be prohibitively expensive, but on a trial, the treatment cost is completely covered by the pharmaceutical or device company. Additionally, the close monitoring during trials ensures any issues are swiftly addressed, making it a very safe way to receive care. To advance medical science requires partnership. Doctors and health-care professionals need to discuss trials with patients. The community must understand that participating in trials provides real benefits. Many drugs in clinical trials have already proven safe in phase 1 studies. Phase two trials test effectiveness, followed by larger phase III trials to confirm results. Most trials in our hospitals are in these advanced phases. By working together, we can transform clinical trials into a cornerstone of healthcare, benefiting patients today and paving the way for tomorrow’s medical breakthroughs. I look forward to making this new chapter a reality.
Professor Bruce Robinson
20 Tomorrow’s medicine today
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