ClinTrial Refer co-founders Judith Trotman (L) and Roslyn Ristuccia (R) with Andria Ratchford (centre), Program Manager, Sydney Health Partners.
Overcoming the barriers to clinical trials in Australia is one of Sydney Health Partners strategic goals because it will assist the more rapid translation of research evidence into health care
Sydney Health Partners has provided a major boost to the ClinTrial Refer app as part of its continued efforts to improve clinical trials recruitment and sustainability.
ClinTrial Refer has received $150,000 from Sydney Health Partners, which will be used for matched funding from the Commonwealth Government’s MTPConnect Industry Growth Centre fund, as well as continued app development.
“The support from Sydney Health Partners has been invaluable, it’s been a real enabler and will allow us to take the next step in the ClinTrial Refer journey,” said ClinTrial Refer Co-founder, and Head of Department, Haematology at Concord Hospital, Professor Judith Trotman. “It will help us work towards additional functionality within version 2.0 such as trial site capabilities, investigator CVs and potentially, the capture of metrics on recruitment in real time.”
Now in its sixth year, ClinTrial Refer creates and maintains up-to-date databases of clinical trials which are currently recruiting patients, facilitated through free to download mobile apps which make it easier for patients or their doctors to find a suitable trial. The team launched the second version of the app at an international conference hosted by the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance in Sydney.
“ClinTrial Refer version 2.0 integrates all existing apps into a single digital platform with the same user-friendly design,” says ClinTrial Refer Co-founder and Executive Manager, Roslyn Ristuccia. “Previously, we had more than 20 separate apps segmented by discipline and location, which was difficult to maintain and hard for clinicians to see the full scope of what trials are happening at any one time. Now, clinicians will be able to see at a glance all trials their patients may be eligible for and search the platform globally.
“By bringing all the information into a single platform and database, we can also roll out new features across the entire trial landscape faster and more efficiently.”
Sydney Health Partners is committed to helping researchers and clinicians conduct clinical trials throughout the Partnership and beyond, in turn improving patient outcomes through better evidence-based treatment and access to emerging treatments.
“We are pleased that this grant supports the continued development of the ClinTrial Refer app and means that patients are more likely to be given the opportunity to participate in clinical trials,” said Andria Ratchford, Program Manager at Sydney Health Partners.
In 2017, Sydney Health Partners contributed $120,000 in matched funding to ClinTrial Refer, to support the rollout of the first version of the app.
