The Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA) is committed to building the capacity of its member Clinical Trials Networks (CTNs) and members of the public to work together to improve clinical trials. This is why we are encouraging patients, carers or patients’ representatives (sometimes called health consumers) who are interested in learning more about ACTA’s member CTNs' activities, or in working with researchers to improve the design and conduct of clinical trials to attend the ACTA Summit 2018.
To support this participation, we are making available five free registration passes for health consumers to attend the Summit which will take place 29 - 30 November at the University of Sydney Business School. View the program here.
You will find details of how to apply for one of the free registrations below the following background information about clinical trials.
Clinical trials are medical research studies run to work out what new or different treatments and interventions work, how safe they are, and how health outcomes for patients compare with those from standard treatment or care.
Clinical trials take place in hospitals, clinics, universities and private organisations around Australia. They are run by clinician-researchers or “investigators”. For example, by doctors, nurses and physiotherapists. Sometimes clinical trials are started by companies. These are known as commercially sponsored clinical trials. Sometimes they are run by clinician researchers, known as investigator-initiated clinical trials. Investigator-initiated trials are sometimes called “public good trials” because they fill important gaps in our knowledge of how to best treat patients living with health conditions that for-profit companies may not see as offering an attractive financial return on investment.
You may know that the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA) is a not-for-profit organisation that supports and represents the networks of clinicians conducting investigator-initiated clinical trials within the Australian healthcare system.
People currently involved as health consumers in clinical trials networks and organisations, or who have taken part in a clinical trial or have direct experience and can attend one or both days of the ACTA Summit 2018 in Sydney in person
are invited to apply. On this occasion, we are unable to support online Summit attendance or payment for time or travel to attend the Summit.
Applicants will be prioritised based on the following criteria:
1. Completion of all questions on the application form below
2. Reason for interest in attending the Summit
3. Your answer to the “What you plan to do with the knowledge gained at the Summit?” question
4. Interest in or experience with clinical trials and/or being a consumer involved with clinical trials in healthcare
To apply for one of the five free passes, please complete the short questionnaire and send the completed form below to Nicola Straiton nicola.straiton@clinicaltrialsalliance.org.au by Friday 26th October 2018.
A selection panel will review all applications. Successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified by the end of October 2018.