Australia and the United Kingdom have joined forces to fund clinical trials aimed at addressing serious health conditions with limited treatment options. The collaboration includes two major Australian health research funds— the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF)— alongside the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research.
The new funding initiative will provide up to A$30 million for international “platform trials” that focus on medical conditions where there is a significant unmet clinical need. These trials, involving partners from both nations, will assess multiple treatments or interventions simultaneously.
Focus on Unmet Clinical Needs
“Unmet clinical need” refers to serious health conditions that lack sufficient options for prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. The funding aims to support large-scale trials addressing these challenges. Each selected project can receive up to A$5 million to explore new therapies or treatments.
This collaboration between Australia and the UK stems from discussions that followed the World Health Assembly in May 2022. A resolution passed at the assembly called for improved global clinical trial practices, including greater cross-country cooperation.
A spokesperson for the NHMRC explained that the types of trials to be funded by this initiative were successfully used during the COVID-19 pandemic. These trials helped rapidly introduce new therapies and yielded valuable results, proving their effectiveness beyond just pandemic-related conditions.
Strengthening International Research Partnerships
The joint funding initiative continues Australia and the UK’s longstanding collaboration in research areas of shared importance, such as cancer, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, and obesity.
In July, the NHMRC and MRFF formalized their partnership with the establishment of joint steering and advisory committees, which will guide the national health and medical research strategy.
With A$10 million of the funding for platform trials coming from the MRFF and A$5 million from the NHMRC, this project underscores the increasing collaboration between the two Australian funds. The MRFF typically focuses on more advanced stages of research, while the NHMRC distributes funding via competitive, application-based processes. The UK will match the funding commitment.
Potential for Global Impact
Steve Wesselingh, Chief Executive of the NHMRC, emphasized that the grants will allow Australia to tap into global research talent. “It is exciting to think that the outcomes of these platform trials, where multiple treatments are evaluated simultaneously, could help combat many health challenges where there is an unmet clinical need,” he stated.
This international effort aims to drive advancements in treatments, benefiting both nations and potentially creating a lasting impact on global health.
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