For patients, carers and consumers interested in research

Health and medical research helps us to identify better, evidence-based treatments for your health and wellbeing.

Research is essential to find out what treatments work best and more specifically, which treatments work best for each patient. It can provide important information about how effective a medical treatment is and its possible adverse effects. These treatments can include, among other things, new drugs, vaccines and medical devices.

Clinical trials are a type of research. They are an important part of developing new medical and other interventions that may improve people’s health and wellbeing.

People have different and often personal reasons for joining a research project or clinical trial. You might take part in research because:

• You want to help researchers find better ways to fight diseases
• It may help find a better treatment or potential cure for your disease or condition
• You may gain access to new interventions before they are widely available. Sometimes this means the treatment you receive won’t help with your health and wellbeing in the way you hoped.

• Before you can join a research project, the researchers will confirm if the study is suitable for you.
• If the study is suitable for you, joining a research project is your choice. No one can make you join if you don’t want to.
• If you want to join, let your research team know. If you don’t want to join, you don’t have to give a reason.
• If you join the research project, you can change your mind and stop at any time.
• Tell your research team you want to stop.
• If you don’t want to tell them, we can tell them for you.

Get information to read and ask questions until you know the answers to these questions:

• Where is the research taking place?
• How safe is it to take part?
• What are the risks if I take part?
• Can I have other procedures, therapies, medicines or therapies?
• Will I be able to take my regular medications while participating in the trial?
• How much time will the research take, and will I need to take time off work/school/university?
• Will I need to spend time in hospital?
• How long will I have to take part in the trial?
• Can I withdraw from the trial at any time? What are the risks if I withdraw?
• Are there any costs? What are they?
• Who do I get in touch with if I have a question, problem or an emergency?
• How will my privacy be protected?
• Read about your Healthcare rights.

Further information about what you should know about taking part in a clinical trial is available on the Australian Government Clinical Trials website .