​​The Crossroads of Australian Oncology Research

By Sophie Mepham PhD, Group Executive Manager – Research 

Clinical trials are often discussed in terms of protocols, timelines and regulatory milestones. Yet at their heart, they are about people. 

Every setback in bringing a trial to life can mean patients wait longer for access to innovative therapies that may improve outcomes and expand treatment options. Keeping patients at the centre of clinical trial design and delivery is therefore not simply good practice, it’s essential to advancing cancer care. 

This shared ambition sits at the heart of our upcoming Oncology Clinical Trials Industry Roundtable. 

A pivotal moment for Australian research

Earlier this year, Australia commenced the adoption of the latest version of the International Council for Harmonisation’s Good Clinical Practice guidelines, ICH E6(R3), through the Therapeutic Goods Administration. 

The updated framework fundamentally shifts how we think about research.  

Why Australia should be leading this conversation

With one of the world’s most favourable clinical trial regulatory environments, Australia’s Clinical Trial Notification (CTN) scheme enables studies to be shaped more quickly and efficiently than in many other international markets. 

As a nation, we have highly experienced investigators, world-class research institutions and an increasingly connected network across public and private settings. 

Most importantly, we have something many countries cannot offer – diversity. 

Australia’s multicultural population presents a significant opportunity to generate more representative clinical research data and ensure future therapies are developed with broader patient populations in mind.  

Yet despite these advantages, Australia is often overlooked for major studies and emerging therapy trials due to its relatively smaller population size. 

This upcoming roundtable presents an opportunity to strengthen our voice in the global clinical trials community and advance the case for Australia becoming a global hub for conducting more innovative, patient-centred oncology research that helps improve access to leading-edge treatments and brings the best care possible to more people, closer to home. 

Moving beyond discussion to action

Unlocking that opportunity requires a new way of working. 

For many years, our industry has gathered to discuss common challenges, and while valuable, tangible progress has been limited. 

This roundtable aims to move towards a model where sponsors, CROs, investigators, research staff, sites, government, HRECs and patients contribute to trial design together from the start.  

By developing patient-centred programs from the onset, we can create studies that are more practical, less burdensome, more feasible and better aligned with the needs of the people they are designed to help. 

Importantly, the patient voice will sit at the centre of these conversations. 

In many ways, this is about changing our collective mindset. Before we improve processes or build new infrastructure, we must first align around the people it serves.  

Our long-term ambition is to play an active role in establishing a collaborative model that leads to improved patient access, stronger industry alignment and positions Icon and Australia as a global leader in oncology research. 

A shared responsibility

The success of this forum will not be measured by the quality of presentations, or the number of attendees.

Success will be determined by how effective we can be as a sector in removing unnecessary delays and ensuring more patients can access innovative cancer treatments sooner.

Because every delay in clinical research has real consequence – a patient waiting for another option, another chance or more time with their loved ones.

This roundtable is our opportunity to bring together leaders who believe we can do better, not by working harder in isolation, but by working proactively, together.

By aligning around a shared purpose of improving outcomes for patients, Australia has the opportunity to become a global leader in patient-centred oncology research. And that is a legacy worth building.

Learn more about the Oncology Clinical Trials Industry Roundtable.