{"id":2484,"date":"2013-02-18T23:27:53","date_gmt":"2013-02-18T13:27:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wimr.org.au\/?post_type=wimr_news&p=2484"},"modified":"2024-09-30T18:26:42","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T08:26:42","slug":"westmead-welcomes-welcome-funding-boost-for-clinical-trials","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/wimr.org.au\/news\/westmead-welcomes-welcome-funding-boost-for-clinical-trials\/","title":{"rendered":"Westmead welcomes welcome funding boost for clinical trials"},"content":{"rendered":"

Westmead Millennium Institute (WMI) has welcomed the Federal Government announcement of reforms aimed at increasing Australia\u2019s international competitiveness as a location for clinical trials.<\/p>\n

The Minster for Health, Tanya Plibersek, and the Federal\u00a0Member for Parramatta, Julie Owens visited WMI in Western\u00a0Sydney today to discuss the package, which will support\u00a0growth in a sector that injects hundreds of millions of dollars a\u00a0year into the Australian economy.<\/p>\n

The Australian Government funding of $10 million will allow\u00a0implementation of several recommendations by the Clinical\u00a0Trials Action Group.<\/p>\n

The Executive Director of WMI, Professor Tony Cunningham said the Government\u2019s announcement is a welcome\u00a0recognition of Australia\u2019s excellent record in bringing together medical research and clinical trials for health and economic\u00a0benefits.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is the tight nexus between basic and clinical research that distinguishes WMI, the Westmead Hospital and the Westmead\u00a0Research Hub, allowing us to achieve our \u2018bench to bedside\u2019 outcomes,\u201d said Professor Cunningham.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cThe key impediments to the clinical trial industry in Australia are the high Australian dollar, rising and varying costs between\u00a0clinical trial sites, and delays in trial approvals. The funding the government has announced should do a great deal to\u00a0eliminate these barriers.\u201d<\/p>\n

The second-largest medical research institute in New South Wales, WMI has 130 PhD students and strong international\u00a0links and reputation.<\/p>\n

WMI, along with the Westmead hospitals and other research institutes on campus, forms the Westmead Research Hub,\u00a0which is recognised nationally as a model example of an integrated health research centre.<\/p>\n

Speaking during the visit of Minister Plibersek, the Chairman of the Westmead Clinical Trials Group, Professor Howard\u00a0Gurney, said the Federal funding for expediting the reform of clinical trials would generate dividends.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fundamental financial consideration is that clinical trials give the best indication of how the health dollar should be\u00a0spent, saving several hundred million dollars in Australia each year,\u201d said Professor Gurney.<\/p>\n

WMI is currently building a new and larger headquarters, which will bring together all its researchers currently scattered\u00a0throughout the Westmead campus.<\/p>\n

The new facility, which still requires additional funding, will include a clinical trials centre when it is completed in early 2014.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur young medical research institute has already contributed to great advances in some areas of patient treatment, and our\u00a0new accommodation will help more people with debilitating illnesses,\u201d said Professor Cunningham.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

WMI has quickly become one of Australia\u2019s largest and most productive medical research institutes. The Institute\u2019s leading\u00a0clinical scientists have had international discoveries through clinical trials, including:<\/p>\n