About Clinical Trials in South Australia

South Australia is an ideal location for conducting clinical trials due to the population size, geographic location and world class infrastructure and expertise.

South Australia is home to outstanding researchers working in health services, research institutes, universities and industry.  The clinical trials sector contributes to better health outcomes for South Australian’s by providing access to the latest advanced treatments.  Clinical trials also contribute economic benefits to the state.

Clinical research trials are conducted at major public hospitals and other institutions across South Australia. These trials typically investigate the safety and/or efficacy of medical interventions, including medicines, therapeutic devices, surgery, and education and behavioural therapies.

The Australian Government is leading a body of work to improve the Australian clinical trials environment with a view to improving health outcomes and increasing international investment in Australia.

The Office for Research (OfR), based in the SA Department for Health and Wellbeing, has received funding through the Encouraging More Clinical Trials in Australia Project to support the ongoing redesign of clinical trials and related research systems and processes.

The Department will be working collaboratively to support a range of key initiatives, including:

• working closely with key stakeholders including the SA Local Health Networks, Health Translation SA, Adelaide BioMed City, the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, South Australian universities and Health and Medical Industries sector to develop a strategic, whole-of-system, streamlined approach to clinical trials in South Australia.
• increasing access to clinical trials by rural, regional and remote communities, including Indigenous communities, thereby enabling collaboration and engagement across the state, through participation in the Australian Teletrial Program.
• implementing a new research ethics and governance management system for SA Health (Research GEMS), with enhanced data collection and reporting capability that will support expanded clinical trials metrics collection and support evaluation of national improvement efforts. 
• funding a new clinical trials education and training program available now to all South Australians with no cost to the end user (V-CTEC or Victorian Clinical Trials Education Centre).
• working with key stakeholders to establish a SA Clinical Trials Portal as a central point of contact that provides relevant information for researchers, coordinators, sponsors and participants, promotes clinical trials conducted by SA Health, and supports patient recruitment to clinical trials.
• Supporting the implementation of the Clinical Trials Governance Framework across SA Health.
• Actively engaging with the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) and the national consultations process to develop the One Stop Shop and the National Clinical Trials Front Door.

As this work progresses, it is anticipated that other priority areas will be identified that will require further attention.

Further information

Please contact the SA Department for Health and Wellbeing Office for Research to obtain more information about conducting a clinical trial in South Australia.

Phone: (08) 8226 7235
Email: Health.DHWresearch@sa.gov.au