In rural, regional, and remote settings, populations suffer worse health outcomes than in metropolitan areas, with shorter life expectancies. People in these areas also lack access to clinical trials and new products and therapies.
Trials addressing the health needs of rural, regional, and remote populations are rare, resulting in a lack of evidence on how to improve practice in these settings. Barriers to research in regional areas include geographical isolation, and lack of workforce experience, skills, and capacity. These can make trials in these areas unattractive to sponsors, which results in inequality of access to trials and innovation.
Clinical trials provide the most robust evidence to change clinical practice. Clinical trial involvement by patients, clinicians, and healthcare organisations offers early access to new treatments, skills, and medical technology; in turn generating significant economic, medical, and scientific benefits to the rural, regional, and remote areas of NSW and the ACT.
Health care environments active in research and clinical trials have better outcomes, due to many factors including better training and retention of staff. Australia has a strong track record of leadership in clinical trials and NSW is established as a key player.