Clinical trials are central to Peter Mac’s commitment to finding more effective cancer treatments and improving care for people with cancer, their families and carers.

ABOUT CLINICAL TRIALS SUPPORT

In order to run more than 200 clinical trials every year, Peter Mac has a comprehensive network of clinical trials support in place, bringing together laboratory researchers, medical, surgical and radiation oncologists, many of whom are clinician-researchers, pathologists, pharmacists, geneticists and clinical trials nurses.

Clinical trials at Peter Mac are coordinated through a dedicated clinical trials unit, whose members liaise with trial sponsors to manage ethical approval and enforce regulations, and assist in drug administration, patient monitoring and care, and the collection of trial-specific biological samples.

The Centre for Biostatistics and Clinical Trials (BaCT) provides and coordinates trial management, data management and statistical support. Peter Mac’s Pharmacy team evaluates new medicines and supports and promotes their safe and ethical use, ensuring the use of new medicines complies with relevant legislative acts, standards and guidelines. They support the safety and welfare of participants, including the protection of their rights, confidentiality and privacy. Pharmacy also maintains trial-specific preparation and dispensing records, and provides information about drug interactions and contraindications to participants and their carers, medical and nursing staff, and other pharmacists.

Peter Mac’s Technology Transfer Office facilitates smooth interaction between researchers and industry. Many of our clinicians and researchers are members of Cancer Trials Australia, which streamline trials of new approaches to treating cancer, including fast-tracking all studies, including first-in-human trials, through an efficient, consolidated ethical approval process.

Most important of all, Peter Mac patients are at the heart of all clinical trials. As well as benefiting from access to new and improved treatments, patients are also able to directly contribute to research by participating in research studies; by sharing their thoughts, or donating blood or cancer tissue, patients can potentially help to improve outcomes for other people with cancer, everywhere.

View participating in clinical research for the referral process to join a trial at Peter Mac. Peter Mac supports and recommends all patients considering participation in appropriate, ethically approved clinical trials.