International Clinical Trials Day 2026, a year in review: Access to Trials
CLINICAL TRIALS IN REGIONAL, RURAL AND REMOTE AUSTRALIA
With
Amanda Koegelenberg,
CEO, Novatrials
INTERNATIONAL CLINICAL TRIALS DAY SERIES SEGMENT
Filmed in Newcastle, NSW | May 2026
To mark International Clinical Trials Day 2026, Australian Health Journal commences a 4 part special series leading up to 20th May with interviews captured across Australia. Through conversations with leading researchers, clinicians and trial organisations, the series highlights achievements in the year that was for clinical trials. The first segment is an example of how in-person clinical trial access has improved for regional, rural and remote communities.
Novatrials is helping transform access to clinical trials for people living in regional, rural and remote communities across the Hunter New England region and beyond. Based in Newcastle, New South Wales, the organisation was founded with a vision to bring innovative medical treatments closer to communities that have traditionally faced significant travel barriers to access state-of-the-art healthcare.
With the first purpose-built Phase 1 clinical trial facility outside of an Australian capital city, Novatrials is expanding opportunities for participants across Newcastle, the wider Hunter region and regional New South Wales to take part in world-class research closer to home. By conducting Phase 1 through to Phase 4 studies across a range of therapeutic areas, the organisation is helping bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and real-world patient care.
According to CEO Amanda Koegelenberg, the investment in the facility illustrates Novatrials’ commitment to ensuring people in regional and remote areas no longer need to travel vast distances to participate in clinical trials, while also bringing more research investment, innovation and healthcare opportunities into the Hunter New England region.
The segment highlights how Novatrials is working collaboratively with partners including the University of Newcastle, Hunter Medical Research Institute and Hunter New England Local Health District to strengthen the region’s research ecosystem and improve access to emerging treatments for local communities.
Source: Adapted from transcript using AI
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Student nurse placements in primary health care
With an urgent need to manage increasing rates of chronic disease, an ageing population, and a rapidly-ageing primary health care nurse workforce, Australia desperately needs more primary health care nurses to enter the workforce before the current generation retires and cannot pass on its skills.
Most nurses start their career in a hospital. Historically, it was difficult for universities and tertiary education providers to arrange placements for student nurses in primary health care. However, the APNA Student Nurse Placement Program provides student nurses with a foot in the door to a career in vibrant primary health care settings such as general practice or community health to perform supervised activities.
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Growing impact of blood cancer on women
According to the Leukaemia Foundation, blood cancer is one of the most urgent and under-recognised women’s health issues in Australia, with three times more Australian women diagnosed with blood cancer than ovarian and cervical cancer combined (Source: AIHW, Cancer Data in Australia, 2024).
Blood cancer has also emerged as the second most common cancer diagnosed in Australian women overall – behind only breast cancer – and the leading cancer amongst girls and women under the age of 30 (Source: AIHW, Cancer Data in Australia, 2024).
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Alfred Hospital leading in pharmacy services for critically unwell patients
Cristina Roman, is the Lead Pharmacist at Alfred Emergency Trauma Centre. In her 12 years working in the Emergency Department, Cristina has established pharmacy services, and filled gaps in patient care with new models of care.
One of those models of care adopted by the US and other countries, is involving pharmacists for critically unwell patients that present to the emergency department.
Australian Health Journal spoke with Cristina Roman and Lisa Bremner, Advanced Training Resident Pharmacist at Alfred Hospital Emergency Trauma Centre.
