$100 million to increase clinical trial participation in the regions

The Rural, Regional and Remote Clinical Trial Enabling Infrastructure Program will seek to remove barriers to participating in clinical trials by:

Member for New England Barnaby Joyce said many constituents in his 66,000 square kilometre electorate face barriers to taking part in clinical trials, including distance, geographical isolation, and workforce capacity.

"Australia is a big country and we relish it because of the fact, especially here in the New England, but we are always striving to achieve better and deliver more services for regional and rural areas like our own," Mr Joyce said.

"These clinical trials are a huge step forward for our nation and show that our Government is working hard to provide world-class health services to all Australians, no matter where they live."

Minister for Health Greg Hunt said the investment would "save lives and protect lives".

"Clinical trials are a significant contributor to advancing new drugs, medical devices and treatments," Minister Hunt said.

Minister for Regional Services, Decentralisation and Local Government Mark Coulton said the clinical trials would greatly benefit Australians living in rural, regional and remote areas across the country.

"People in rural, remote and regional areas should not be disadvantaged when it comes to accessing trials, purely because of where they live," Mr Coulton said.

This contestable program, funded under the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), ensures patients can access clinical trials where they live.

Grant opportunities for this program are now open. Eligibility criteria, closing dates, and any other relevant information will be published on business.gov.au