Singapore: Ms Tanya Plibersek, federal Minister for Health, and Mr Greg Combet, Minister for Innovation and Industry, Australia have launched a new website to encourage and facilitate patient recruitment to clinical trials in Australia.

The Australian Clinical Trials website was built by the National Health and Medical Research Council and funds worth A$40,000, to support the development of the website, was provided by the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.

The website offers a range of information on how and why clinical trials are conducted, the benefits of participation, and how patients can get involved. There are tailored sections for consumers, healthcare providers, researchers and industry/sponsors, as well as testimonies of patients. There is also a link to a 'Find a clinical trial' website, with details of trial registries, clinical trial organizations, research networks, co-ordinating hubs and support groups.

According to Ms Plibersek, the Australian Clinical Trials website was developed in response to the needs of consumer groups, the pharmaceutical industry and research institutions. There are many stories about recovery, improved quality of life or longer life from participating in a clinical trial conducted in Australia, and this website will make it easier for patients to find out about and access clinical trials," she said.

Mr Combet said the government was making it easier for patients to access information about medical research, which would lead to higher participation rates for clinical trials and increased investment in new medical innovations.