In 2022, the Australian government announced investment of $125 million in a Rural, Regional and Remote Clinical Trial Enabling Infrastructure Program, funded under the MRFF, that will help improve access to equipment, services and clinical trials for people living in the regions. This was further divided between state programs and will seek to overcome differences in governance approvals to facilitate teletrials establishment.
Working from the ground up, TOGA surveyed their membership network to try and establish the presence of established and developing teletrials clusters, and have recently published the results of this work here, as well as including some information about the teletrials program and other resources.
Pleasingly, it appeared that large areas of Australia were actively seeking to set up or had established teletrials clusters, noting also that our survey results are limited to where we actually have membership presence (e.g we do not have a TOGA member in Western QLD). Not all clinical trials are amenable to teletrials but maximising the opportunity should enhance recruitment and contribute to the reputation of Australia as a premier destination for clinical trials.