ULTRA The University of Queensland’s cLinical TRials cApability

Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) are an important component of the healthcare system as they provide gold standard, robust evidence about the comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions. Evidence from RCTs transforms healthcare, shapes decisions about healthcare expenditure, and most importantly, improves the health of the population.

Traditional RCTs are typically expensive, have long timelines, often fail to recruit, and take too long to translate their results into clinical practice. Innovation in trials is urgently needed.

Harnessing recent learnings

The impact of innovation in RCT design and conduct has never been so evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic. By employing innovative trial designs, RCTs during the pandemic have delivered rapid outcomes with immediate impact on patient care. Locking this learning into the University of Queensland’s investigator led trials will lead to effective treatments being accessible sooner.

The ULTRA program has been created by the University to build capability and capacity in innovative trial design, conduct, analysis and translation. Our vision for ULTRA is to create a world leading interdisciplinary team focused on innovation in clinical trials that leads to more rapid results and improved patient outcomes.

The program’s interdisciplinary team of methodological specialists will lead and collaborate to generate an end-to-end pipeline from ‘ideation’ through to ‘close-out’ and translation of investigator led innovative RCTs.