Why is the Australian Teletrial Program important?
Patients are at the heart of Australia’s most ambitious health equity program. On average, people living in rural and remote areas have shorter lives, higher levels of disease and injury, and poorer access to and use of health services.
The Australian Teletrial Program (ATP) wants the best standard of care treatment, the latest innovations, medicines, devices and preventative care to be accessible to everyone, wherever they live.
Australia median age of death by location
What is the impact of the Australian Teletrial Program?
Patients are at the heart of Australia’s most ambitious health equity program. The Australian Teletrial Program is helping people living in regional, rural and remote areas access the best standard of care treatment, the latest innovations, medicines, devices and preventative care.
As the program builds momentum, follow our progress and key benefits demonstrated by the numbers below, and our new case studies.
*Figures calculated 7 April 2026
An Australian Teletrial Program update
Building a lasting legacy: the future of teletrials.
By implementing the teletrial methodology, the Australian Teletrial Program (ATP) and its partners have dispelled the myth that clinical trial delivery can only occur in major city hospitals.
The legacy of this is a trained clinical workforce and a safe, equitable and flexible approach to trials that has become part of decentralised clinical trial delivery and other health care research across Australia.
It has been confirmed that ATP has received a no-cost extension from the Australian Government. This enables ATP activity to continue for a further 12 months to October 2027.
It is important to remember that the foundations embedded over the past four and a half years through the teletrial methodology will exist long after the current grant period ends.
Local sustainability is important, and each jurisdiction is working on their own plans to deliver clinical trials for people in regional, rural and remote areas in a manner that is appropriate for them, including via decentralised clinical trial methodology/teletrials.
Teletrials endorsed
Teletrials is a proven flexible methodology.
Hear Dr Norman Swan, physician turned broadcaster talk to the benefits of teletrials, and how connecting regional, rural, and remote clinical trial sites to primary sites is helping patient outcomes.
Primary Site activation of teletrials is facilitated by the Regional Clinical Trial Coordinating Centre (RCCC) in their state/territory. The primary sites, with the assistance of the RCCC, support local sites and help build local capacity, capability, and confidence.
Teletrials explained
How teletrials are being used in the Northern Territory
What is a teletrial?
Teletrial is a new, proven model for conducting clinical trials by connecting regional, rural and remote clinical trial sites to a primary site. The primary site supports local sites in building capacity and capability, promoting equitable health access and may lead to local sites becoming primary sites in the future. Teletrials involve numerous medical staff and researchers from various hospitals and health services in different locations. They use digital telecommunication to work as one team and conduct clinical trials closer to where patients live.
Teletrials and First Nations communities
It is important to make health access easy for the people who need it the most. First Nations people have
A milestone for health equity in Roma Queensland
Patients no longer have to make the 1,000km journey to Queensland’s Diabetes Centre of Excellence to participate in clinical trials;
Get in touch
The Australian Teletrial Program (ATP) will improve access to, and participation in, clinical trials for rural, regional and remote Australians.
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