Health- and Pharmaco-economics National Technical Services

The Australian Government, under the Support for Cancer Clinical Trials program, is supporting Australia's capacity to develop industry-independent cancer clinical trials.

Cancer Australia is currently supporting 14 CTGs to develop industry-independent cancer clinical trial protocols to the stage of applying for grant funding.

The HE National Technical Service will be required to provide, but is not limited to, the following minimum services to the CTGs supported by Cancer Australia:

• direct engagement of the CTGs through a minimum of one face-to-face meeting/ teleconference/videoconference per annum with each CTG
• direct expert advice to support the CTGs to include HE measures and/or sub-studies, where appropriate, into industry-independent cancer clinical trial protocols developed up to the stage when grant funding has been secured for the conduct of the clinical trial
• expert advice on data collection, analysis and reporting of HE elements of cancer clinical trials to the CTGs
• training to build and improve the capacity of CTG staff and members to develop and undertake activities that assist with the inclusion of HE measures/sub-studies in cancer clinical trials and the subsequent data collection, analysis and reporting of findings.

The HE National Technical Service will also be required to:

• establish and maintain networks with organisations, locally and globally, involved with HE research
• establish a HE resource centre for use by the CTGs and other cancer researchers and health professionals across Australia
• establish collaborative relationships with other National Technical Services provided by Cancer Australia to support the CTGs.