During a trial

During the in-house stay for a trial, participants cannot leave the clinic to attend work or university. However, you are encouraged to bring any work you may need to complete to the clinic with you, as we can accommodate personal belongings such as laptops and books, as well as offering free Wifi. If you have work or study commitments that require attending an office or campus in person, we often have shorter-stay trials, and may also have trials that do not involve an in-house stay and consist only of appointments.

All your meals* and linen will be provided throughout your stay, as well as wireless internet access. You’ll also find a communal PlayStation, TV, and DVD player within the unit, but feel free to bring your laptop computer, books, magazines, iPods, or other small devices. Many participants use their time in the clinic to catch up on work, study, or relax.

You should also bring:

• toiletries
• light clothes
• enclosed footwear (you must always wear these in the unit)
• Additional bedding (blankets and your own pillows) to make your stay more comfortable

We’ll provide more details about the requirements for your study in your information sheet and consent form, including information about the duration of your study (studies can range from two days to one month). Please note, that you’re not allowed to bring recreational drugs, alcohol, food or chocolate into the facility. Any positive tests for recreational drugs or alcohol will not be tolerated and you will be excluded from the trial.

*You will not be able to change your dietary requirements once admitted to the clinic. We can only cater for basic requirements (eg. Vegetarian, Vegan, Halal, Pescatarian, Gluten-free) and specific foods you are allergic to.

Every trial is different, but generally speaking you’ll be admitted to our clinical trial centre in Perth the night before the study starts.

The safety and security of our team and participants is our priority, so on arrival your bag will be searched and you’ll undergo some standard tests, which may include screening for recreational drugs and an alcohol breath test.

With the admission process complete, you’ll be escorted to your assigned bed, with lockable drawers and a personal locker for your belongings. Read ‘What do you provide, and what do I need to bring?’ for more information about meals, entertainment and more.

During your stay, you’ll have several tests, including blood sampling, ECG measurements (traces of your heart rhythm) and blood pressure, and you will receive a dose of the study drug or a placebo.

All your individual study requirements will be outlined in your information sheet and consent form, including details about the length of your study (studies can range from two days to one month in duration).

Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate visitors during in-clinic stays at this time.

Every trial has different requirements, but there are some common lifestyle restrictions across most of our trials. Generally, we require participants to refrain from strenuous exercise during the trial, and for a period of time before the trial begins. This is because exercise can temporarily affect the levels of certain substances in your body, which may appear abnormal in blood tests and disqualify you from participating in the trial, or make it difficult to determine which effects are due to the study drug (or placebo) and which are the result of exercise.

It is also common for a trial to require that you avoid certain foods such as grapefruit and starfruit, as they contain compounds that may affect how your body metabolises a study drug. Alternatively, a trial may require that you consume particular foods (eg. a high-fat breakfast which is provided) as part of the study.

Additionally, caffeine and alcohol are not allowed in the clinic during in-house stays for all of our trials, and cannot be provided to participants.

In the interest of your safety, you must inform us about past and current medical conditions or allergies, including information about any medications you’re taking. Similarly, to ensure the integrity of the trial data, you must report any side effects you experience.

All participants have the right to withdraw from a trial at any point in the study, for any reason. You do not have to give a reason for ending your participation in a trial, and there are no consequences to withdrawing. Additionally, suppose you withdraw from a trial for a particular reason. You may still be able to apply for a different trial if you would like to, depending on the circumstances.

If you are a patient referred to participate in a clinical trial by your doctor, withdrawing from the trial will not affect your ability to access your usual care.

If you would like more information about withdrawing from a study, please call our friendly Recruitment Team on 1300 546 327 or get in touch via Contact Us.

If you participate in a “placebo-controlled” clinical trial for a new medication, you may be randomly allocated to receive either the actual treatment or a placebo. A placebo is a dose that is as similar as possible to the medication (eg. in size, shape, colour, and taste) but does not contain the active ingredient. Generally, you will not know if you are receiving the new medication or a placebo.