Role
In 2023, Australian Government, state and territory ministers for health agreed to establish an enduring IGPRG to lead national initiatives to improve the medical research ecosystem.
Initial IGPRG priorities include:
- establishing a National One Stop Shop
- supporting the implementation of a National Clinical Trials Governance Framework
- developing a quality standard and accreditation scheme for Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs).
The government appointed Emeritus Professor Ian Chubb AC, FAA FTSE as Chair of the IGPRG. Senior officials from state and territory governments are part of the IGPRG along with other key stakeholders.
A key objective of the IGPRG is to make Australia a preferred destination for clinical trials. This will:
- benefit participants
- ensure a continuously improving health system
- build productivity
- contribute to an innovation economy.
Work of the IGPRG
National One Stop Shop program
The National One Stop Shop program is a national framework and digital solution that will:
- strengthen and harmonise policies, systems and processes for the administration, regulation and execution of health and medical research
- join up the clinical trial whole-of-life cycle into one operational system – including approval, registration, execution and publication of results
- help find, conduct, participate and invest in high-quality and ethical medical research – including clinical trials.
Access the National One Stop Shop consultation reports on the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care’s (ACSQHC) website.
Register your interest to receive updates on this work, or find previous updates on the National One Stop Shop.
National Clinical Trials Governance Framework
The National Clinical Trials Governance Framework provides nationally consistent standards for clinical trials, and associated accreditation arrangements, for health services.
Under the Governance Framework, Australian, state and territory health services that provide clinical trial services must meet a subset of the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards. Health services include all public and private Australian hospitals, day procedure services and public dental services.
The Governance Framework ensures that:
- clinical trial service is embedded in routine health service clinical and corporate governance systems, and is considered core health service business
- the governance of clinical trials is a fundamental part of the health services governing body’s responsibilities and accountabilities
- clinical trials are conducted in a safe environment for the best possible outcomes for participants and the community.
Learn more about the Governance Framework, including its core principles of governance for clinical trial services on the ACSQHC website.
Access resources for health services to support implementation of the Governance Framework on the ACSQHC website.
HREC Quality standard and accreditation scheme
The IGPRG is developing a national quality standard and accreditation scheme for HRECs and their establishing institutions to:
- enhance consistency and efficiency of the review processes
- build reciprocal confidence in HREC review decisions.
Read the media release from the Minister for Health and Aged Care on transforming health and medical research in Australia.
Benefits
The National One Stop Shop provides:
- a single location for information on clinical trials and research
- national co-design and consultation
- earlier access to more life-changing treatments
- improved capacity for patients, researchers and industry to find, conduct and participate in clinical trials and ethical medical research.
National teletrials compendium
In Australia, all public and private health service employees involved in clinical trials, including teletrials, must follow standard operating procedures and principles. These are outlined in the National Teletrials Compendium.
The compendium assists organisations engaged in conducting clinical trials in Australia to standardise their procedures. We review it every 2 years.
Publications
IGPRG initiatives have produced these publications.
COVID-19: Guidance on clinical trials for institutions, HRECs, researchers and sponsors
Collaborative research agreement template – for projects not involving clinical trials
Contact
Please contact us for more information about the IGPRG.