Helping the health of the next generation

Our Executive Director of Research, Prof Stephen Jane, said that clinical trials are vital to the healthcare system. “All current medicines and treatments were once in a clinical trial. We always look for the next best treatment, device, intervention, or medicine for our patients.”

“Clinical trials can be lifesaving and quality-of-life improving, and they also help the health of the next generation,” said Stephen.

There are currently almost 7000 patients on clinical trials at Alfred Health, with many travelling from all over Victoria, other states, and from overseas for what can be a life-saving or life-changing clinical trial.

Barriers such as long-distance travel led to the establishment of TrialHub in 2020.

It is a hospital-to-hospital partnership program that supports six Victorian regional, rural, and outer metro hospitals in establishing their own clinical trial units with mentoring from The Alfred as the metro centre. Currently, 1700 patients are benefiting from more than 75 new trials available outside of metro Melbourne.

Stephen said that while it’s great that so many patients are benefiting from clinical trials, those from Culturally Diverse and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds remain underrepresented in clinical trials.

“There is still more to be done to address the barriers and stigma that are preventing culturally diverse and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from accessing clinical trials. Every patient, regardless of background, has the right to equal access to the opportunities and benefits that clinical trials offer.

“TrialHub recognised that it can be difficult for patients to understand what clinical trials entail, especially when English isn’t their first language," said Stephen.

After English, the most commonly spoken languages by Alfred Health patients are Mandarin, Greek, Italian, and Russian.