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Population: 21.8 million, 2.6% represents the indigenous population, 2009
Average Life Span: 81, 2010
Languages: English
Adult Literacy Rate: 99% 2009
Health Trends
Chronic illness: a growing problem as the population ages. 33% of residents aged 50+ years (2004). This is projected to be up to 48% by 2050.
Obesity poses a major risk by increasing the risk of chronic illnesses such as Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease and some Cancers. 68% of adult males and 55% of adult females are overweight / obese and this trend is rising. Increasing Diabetes, much of it still undiagnosed. Prevalence increased from
2.4% of population in 1995 to 3.5% in 2005.
Cardiovascular disease - approx 35% of deaths. Cardiovascular disease is the most expensive health condition, costing over 5.5 billion dollars (approx 11% of health system expenditure).
Cigarette smoking is the largest preventable cause of death and disease and has one of the highest proportions of overweight citizens in the developed nations in the world.
Approx 3.5 million Australians (18%) have a Cardiovascular condition with Hypertension being most common (11%).
Cancer - approx 25% of deaths. Prostate, colon and breast most common cancers. Australia has the highest rate of Melanoma in the world.
One of the highest rates of Asthma in the world, affecting 10% of the population. Most frequent cause for hospitalisation in children.
15% Australians (3.1 million) have some form of arthritis. Largest cause of chronic pain.
High standard of medical care in line with USA /Europe.
Government subsidised:
-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) - for drug therapies.
- Medicare - hospitalisation costs, tests and procedures.
Clinical Trial Landscape
Internationally recognised for its science, highly trained workforce and quality of health economic data.
Intellectual property regime compares favourably to the EU and US.
Proof of concept trials may be conducted in Australia without EU CTA or US IND.
Comparative Phase III data generated in Australia also of significant value for local pricing and reimbursement activities.
Government incentives to perform local R&D.
Highly trained, experienced Principal Investigators and study coordinators.
Clinical research can take place within the public and private hospital systems and General Practitioner’s rooms.
ICH/GCP compliant centres and well equipped medical centres.
Data acceptable for FDA and EMEA submissions.
Expertise in using EDC, IVRS, Central Laboratories and Imaging.
Fewer competing studies than in US and Central Europe. Investigator and patient availability for clinical trials facilitates fast enrollment - cost effective.
Good for seasonal dependent studies as patients can be recruited during quiet times in Northern hemisphere.
Good where there is high disease prevalence such as Melanoma and Asthma.
85% of patients live within 2 hours of a major coastal city.
Approx 12-16 weeks for EC trial approval.
Notification only to regulatory authority in Australia on EC approval - acknowledgement recieved within a few days.
Moving to a centralised approach in Australia to streamline process, framework based on EU system.
2011 - 100 staff including 48 Clinical Operations staff
Currently working 70 studies on across various therapecutic areas including 26 Oncology, 7 Endocrinology, 7 Gastroenterology, 5 Cardiovascular, 5 Nephrology, 5 Infectious Diseases, 4 Dermatology, 3 Respiratory, 3 CNS, 2 Vaccine, 2 Paediatric, and 1 Women's Health