Clinical Research Trials

Victoria's clinical research opportunities

Victoria is the premier location for clinical trials in Australia. The Victorian biomedical research community is largely housed within nine universities (two with medical schools), seven major tertiary teaching hospitals and 15 independent medical research institutes.

Victoria provides a highly favourable environment for clinical research. The State offers:

• an ethnically heterogenous population
• high standards of ethics and clinical practice
• internationally-recognised, high-quality researchers
• hospitals and universities participation
• excellent public health system
• availability of good statistics to allow follow-up of medical treatment
• ability to conduct trials in a cost-effective manner
• infrastructure and R&D advantages

Comparison of the costs of clinical research trials

The cost of conducting phase I to phase III clinical trials in Australia is 50-60 percent of US costs. The practice and standards of medicine are also equivalent to the US and EU, enabling trial protocols to be immediately transferable and ensuring that reliable results are available to those authorities.

For example, Glaxo Wellcome Australia progressed local phase II and III trials for the influenza anti-viral new chemical entity, zanamivir and the protocols and results were used in EU and US applications.