About the Clinical Trials Activity initiative
The Clinical Trials Activity initiative will provide $750 million over 10 years between 2024–25 and 2033–34 to increase clinical trial activity in Australia.
The focus of this initiative is on:
- clinical trials addressing rare cancers, rare diseases, and unmet needs
- bringing investigator-led international clinical trials to Australia
- effective health interventions (i.e. research projects focused on implementation science and comparative effectiveness research).
The initiative also funds research projects focused on any disease or condition that meets the objective specified in each grant opportunity.
Why it is important
This initiative is important because it supports clinical trials that test the effectiveness of therapies and treatments and create the evidence needed to improve clinical practice.
Objectives
The objective of this initiative is to increase clinical trial activity in Australia to:
- improve the evidence base supporting clinical care
- help patients access trials relevant to their health circumstances
- enable researchers to bring international trials to Australian patients.
Meeting our objectives
We will monitor the initiative in accordance with the principles and approach detailed in the MRFF Monitoring, evaluation and learning strategy.
Who we work with
The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) funds the initiative.
Our Health and Medical Research Office oversees this and other MRFF initiatives.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) administers this initiative.
Apply for funding
View the MRFF grants calendar to see which grants are open, when applications close and when we expect to award funding.
Register with GrantConnect to receive notifications about future funding opportunities under this initiative.
Grants awarded
See a list of all MRFF grant recipients.
Monitoring, evaluation and learning
In 2021, we commissioned the Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare (IEBH), Bond University, to evaluate this initiative. The evaluation looked at:
- investments in clinical trials made through the MRFF
- approaches for clinical trials overseas and in Australia
- ways to improve funding and granting arrangements for clinical trials through the initiative and the MRFF more broadly.
It also reviewed this initiative’s:
- progress in achieving objectives set out in the MRFF 10-year Investment Plan
- progress towards the 8 measures of success in the MRFF Monitoring, evaluation and learning strategy 2020-21 to 2023-24.
Read the outcomes of the Evaluation of the MRFF Clinical Trials Activity.
Learn about MRFF monitoring, evaluation and learning.
More information is available from MRFF.evaluations@health.gov.au.
Contact
For more information, contact us.
Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) contact