Clinical Trials Centre

Information on this page has been developed for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies looking for a team to carry out a clinical trial on their behalf. Find out more general information about clinical trials.

The Wesley Research Institute Clinical Trials Centre is a purpose-built and designed facility dedicated to conducting clinical trials.

The Centre will ensure patients have access to the latest, most advanced drugs and treatments and provide clinicians with a comprehensive range of resources to help build a healthier community.

While many pharmaceutical companies are based overseas, the Centre will meet a growing demand for clinical trial services in Australia.
The Centre is expected to attract both national and international pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to conduct more clinical trials in Brisbane.

The Clinical Trials Centre at The Wesley Research Institute is attached to Brisbane’s Wesley Hospital, a major specialist centre networked to five other Uniting HealthCare hospitals across Queensland.

Through this relationship with The Wesley Hospital and Uniting HealthCare, the Centre can offer access to a comprehensive range of resources including:

• 1,000 licensed hospital beds
• 4,000 specialist medical practitioners, nurses and allied health professionals
• 63,000 surgical procedures per year
• 90,000 admissions a year
• Full range of medical and surgical services plus an on-site emergency medicine department, intensive care unit and maternity services
• Links to a world-class research institution

*Stats as at June 2005

Our Clinical Trials Centre has been purpose-built to conduct clinical trials. It is located five minutes from Brisbane’s central business district, and in close proximity to three major universities.

The Centre includes:

• Modern, fully equipped clinic rooms
• Clinical Research Coordinator workstations and offices
• Medical emergency equipment with immediate access to the on-site hospital emergency department
• Rooms for collecting, spinning and packaging pathology specimens with ‘back-to-base’ alarmed and temperature-controlled storage facilities
• Temperature-controlled, ‘back-to-base’ alarmed storage for medications
• Secure on-site storage for confidential files
• Modern reception and patient waiting areas

Services we offer include:

• Single point of contact to coordinate single and multi-centred trials
• Timely and cost-effective submission of protocols to our on site Human Research Ethics Committee
• Experienced, qualified Clinical Research Coordinators, Clinical Research Assistants, and staff
• Access to a GP referral network and experienced Principal Investigators
• Efficient financial and contract administration processes
• On time and on target patient recruitment
• Sub-contracting of staff to Principal Investigators

Categories of clinical trials:

1. Bioequivalence

   In these trials, two drugs with the same active ingredients are compared for safety and efficacy. The aim of these trials is to introduce generic brand (cheaper) medications to the market after the initial patent has expired. These trials compare the generic medications to the more expensive brands to ensure they are as safe and effective as the patent drug.

2. Device

   In these trials, new medical devices (this can be anything from colostomy bags to pacemakers) are tested for their safety and efficacy. The aim of these trials is to introduce new devices to the market to be used in the treatment of illness or disease.

3. Nutrition, neutraceuticals, and complementary medicines

   There is a growing trend to formalise the process for testing the safety and efficacy of nutrition or vitamin supplements, neutraceuticals, and complementary and alternative medicines (such as fish oil and evening primrose oil). The aim of these trials is to provide scientific evidence for claims that these therapies are effective in managing symptoms of illness or disease.

4. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology

   In these trials, new medications and treatments are tested for their safety and efficacy (or effectiveness). The aim of these trials is to introduce new medications and treatments to the market to treat illness or disease more effectively or with fewer side effects.

5. Surgical

   Trials which compare the safety and effectiveness of new surgical procedures.

6. Vaccination

   These trials test new vaccines (from flu vaccines to cancer vaccines) for their safety and efficacy. The aim of these trials is to introduce new vaccines to the market that are both safe and effective in preventing illness and disease.

Specialist areas

The Wesley Research Institute clinical trials team has expertise in a broad range of specialist areas including:

1. Cardiology
2. Cardiovascular disease
3. Dermatology
4. Endocrinology
5. Fertility
6. Gastroenterology
7. Gynaecology
8. Haematology
9. Infectious disease and immunology
10. Interventional radiology
11. Nutrition and neutraceuticals
12. Neurology
13. Neurosurgery
14. Oncology
15. Orthopaedics
16. Pulmonary and respiratory medicine
17. Paediatrics
18. Rheumatology
19. Surgery
20. Urology
21. Vascular disease
22. Weight loss
23. Women’s Health

For more information about clinical trials at The Wesley Research Institute,
please contact the Clinical Trials Centre on 07 3232 7920 or send an email to clinicaltrialsinfo@wesley.org.au.

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