Clinical trials are used to test the safety and effects of new drugs, combinations of drugs, and/or drug dosing strategies.

Information about clinical research

Visit our International Links page for links to reports on current research and trial results.

Participating in a clinical trial

Your doctor might discuss the idea of participating in a clinical trial. Before you agree to participate in a clinical trial, you should have adequate written and verbal information about the purpose of the trial, the procedures involved, the benefits and any potential risks. You do not have to agree to participate in a clinical trial even if your doctor recommends it. You have the right to decline and your standard of health care should not be affected if you decline.

Some of the reasons people might decide to become involved in a clinical trial include:

• Participating in research has helped in Australia’s response to HIV and led to advancements in the treatment of HIV
• Participants may receive a new treatment before it is widely available
• Participants receive regular monitoring and other services at little or no cost
• The health of people participating in a clinical trial is closely monitored by HIV experts who may have more knowledge or experience than their regular doctor
  

Some of the things to consider before involvement in a clinical trial include:

• New treatments often have unknown side effects or toxicities
• Some participants enter trials involving a placebo, meaning they don’t know until the end of the trial if they were getting the new drug or not
• The treatment may be helpful for a short period, but may not make any difference to long-term health.
  

Someone at your local AIDS council or PLHIV organisation might be able to discuss some of these considerations with you in greater detail to help you make a decision about whether or not to get involved in a clinical trial.

For a list of current clinical trials go to http://www.napwa.org.au/trials