The cost of Australian clinical trials initiated and led by clinicians is outweighed almost six to one by the savings that flow from the health improvements experienced by patients, a new report reveals.

Launched by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care and the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance the report analysed 25 Australian clinical trials initiated by clinicians that were considered to be sufficiently scientifically rigorous and compelling to change clinical practice.

It found that if the results from the trials were initiated in just two-thirds of the relevant patient groups studied for one year,  $1.4 billion would be saved through improvements in patient health outcomes, and a further $580 million in reductions in health costs.

According to the report the savings are equivalent to a benefit-to-cost ratio of 5.8:1 – meaning that for each $1 invested in clinician-driven clinical trials in Australia, benefits of $5.80 can be realised.

Clinical Director for the Commission Dr Robert Herkes said the findings of the study were significant.

“The study shows that the bulk of the economic impact of these trials comes from improving patient outcomes as well as improving the safety and quality of health care,” Dr Herkes said.

‘This report highlights the vital role of investigator-initiated research conducted by clinical trials networks to drive evidence-based improvements to our healthcare system.”

The three Australian Clinical Trial Networks evaluated in the report were the Australasian Stroke Trials Network (ASTN), Interdisciplinary Maternal Perinatal Australasian Collaborative Trials (IMPACT) Network and the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Clinical Trials Group (ANZICS CTG).

You can read the full report here.