NEWS & EVENTS

BDHP research passport making a difference

20 December 2016

Ethics and Governance approvals in clinical research have always provided challenges –especially when several researchers from different organisations are collaborating on the same project.

BDHP has developed a new and innovative umbrella research agreement for its partners that is the first of its kind in Australia. The agreement, termed the BDHP Research Passport, streamlines the exacting and demanding processes for researchers within the BDHP partnership by providing one operating schedule for each project before it is started. The Passport extends the efficiency gains of the Medicines Australia contract template for clinical trials to all clinical research collaboration projects. It will reduce the number of legal reviews required for almost all clinical collaborative research. BDHP General Manager Areti Gavrilidis explained that the BDHP Research Passport, where appropriate, contains standard terms for the conduct of research between any of the partners. “While these terms are not mandatory, we hope they will be used for most future projects to facilitate research across Brisbane,” Ms Gavrilidis said. “Projects will be entered into a project template so that these standard terms and processes will expedite the establishment of projects between all partners and any third party collaborators by reducing delays caused by administrative processes and legal review,” she said. Providing one operating schedule with agreed legal terms and schedule items allows all participating researchers and research organisations to use a single legal agreement that protects, determines direction and provides guidelines for all involved whilst reducing costs and enhancing efficiencies.