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Nicky Lawrence
Medical Oncologist, Te Toka Tumai Auckland, NZ Nicky is a Medical Oncologist at Te Toka Tumai Auckland with an interest in genitourinary cancers and clinical trial methodology, and is Deputy Director of Cancer Trials New Zealand at Waipapa Taumata Rau, The University of Auckland. Nicky completed her medical oncology training in Auckland, and her fellowship at The University of Sydney where she was awarded her PhD evaluating the design of cancer clinical trials in the era of targeted and immunological therapies.
She is co-lead of the Aotearoa New Zealand decentralised clinical trial methodology steering committee. She is passionate about educational opportunities and convened the inaugural NZ concept development workshop in 2016, and is a member of the international steering committee for the ACORD protocol writing workshop. |
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Decentralized Clinical Trials
Embedding clinical trials within our health system is a priority initiative to improve patient outcomes. International guidelines recommend clinical trial participation should be considered as part of standard management and can be the best treatment option for many cancer patients. Despite this, only a small minority of patients with cancer, ranging from 5% in the USA to 14% in the UK participate in clinical trials. In Aotearoa New Zealand (AoNZ), very few patients and whānau have access to clinical trials in oncology. However, we know the majority of New Zealanders want the chance to take part in a clinical trial.
Traditionally, clinical trials involve patients attending hospitals for face-to-face interactions with trial staff. Barriers to participation include the conceptual exclusion of whānau from trial processes, lack of available trial sites close to home, financial and time costs of participation, and additionally the inconvenience of travel to centres where trials are conducted. Decentralised clinical trials (DCTs) and teletrials both refer to a concept based on the core principle of improving access to clinical trials by taking the trial to the person and their whānau. The concept of DCTs has rapidly gained popularity internationally with its patient-centred approach. It aims to reduce whānau burden, increase enrolment and retention, and preserve quality of life, while also increasing the efficiency of trial logistics.
We will present an update on the rationale for decentralised trials in AoNZ, the steps taken to date to introduce this initiative and the key next steps to grow opportunities in this space.
Embedding clinical trials within our health system is a priority initiative to improve patient outcomes. International guidelines recommend clinical trial participation should be considered as part of standard management and can be the best treatment option for many cancer patients. Despite this, only a small minority of patients with cancer, ranging from 5% in the USA to 14% in the UK participate in clinical trials. In Aotearoa New Zealand (AoNZ), very few patients and whānau have access to clinical trials in oncology. However, we know the majority of New Zealanders want the chance to take part in a clinical trial.
Traditionally, clinical trials involve patients attending hospitals for face-to-face interactions with trial staff. Barriers to participation include the conceptual exclusion of whānau from trial processes, lack of available trial sites close to home, financial and time costs of participation, and additionally the inconvenience of travel to centres where trials are conducted. Decentralised clinical trials (DCTs) and teletrials both refer to a concept based on the core principle of improving access to clinical trials by taking the trial to the person and their whānau. The concept of DCTs has rapidly gained popularity internationally with its patient-centred approach. It aims to reduce whānau burden, increase enrolment and retention, and preserve quality of life, while also increasing the efficiency of trial logistics.
We will present an update on the rationale for decentralised trials in AoNZ, the steps taken to date to introduce this initiative and the key next steps to grow opportunities in this space.
