Research Report 2006–2007

Abstract

The National Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Centre conducts its own clinical trials, provides expertise and infrastructure for trials run by other groups, and undertakes research aiming to improve both the conduct of trials and the resulting clinical evidence. Since 1988, when the CTC was set up as a research centre at the University of Sydney, over 60 000 patients have been randomised into its trials. Currently, around 40 active trials — in cancer, cardiovascular disease and neonatology — are being conducted in collaboration with networks of clinical investigators across Australia and elsewhere. The CTC has played a leading role in establishing some of these investigator groups, most recently the Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology and the Australasian Lung Cancer Trials Group. Trial investigators also participate in international collaborations to carry out prospective meta-analysis of data from concurrent clinical trials. For example, the NeOProM collaboration has been formed by five cooperating trial groups, involving over 5000 patients, with leadership from the CTC. Developments such as this increase the effi ciency of research and the validity of its fi ndings, resulting in benefi t to patients throughout the world. The CTC also has strong links and partnerships withgovernment and nongovernment organisations and industry. Projects include capacity building for Australian health and research, reviews of evidence to assist government policy making, and methodological research. The CTC’s past research has served the Australian population well, particularly through reduced cardiovascular disease and deaths from heart disease and improved survival and better quality of life for patients with many types of cancer. This report covers the CTC’s achievements for the biennium, 2006–2007.