The Clinical Trials Assistance Pilot: reducing the financial burden of cancer clinical trials for patients in regional New South Wales
Pareoranga Luiten-Apirana A * , Monica Gendi A , Jai Bernard A , Zhicheng Li A , Rhiannon Edge A , Bradley Gellert A , Annie Miller A , Maria Mury B , Niki Sansey B , Lindsey Jasicki B and Sean Stolp AA Cancer Council NSW, 153 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo, NSW, Australia.
B Cancer Institute NSW, 1 Reserve Road, St Leonards, NSW, Australia.
Australian Health Review 47(5) 607-613 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH22249
Submitted: 2 November 2022 Accepted: 9 August 2023 Published: 22 August 2023
Abstract
This study investigated whether the provision of financial assistance to patients living in regional New South Wales influenced patients’ decisions to participate in a cancer clinical trial (cancer treatment or supportive care) and resulted in improved psychosocial outcomes.
Administrative data were collected from participants, including demographics, travel distances and the value of financial support provided. Qualitative interviews were then conducted with a subset of consenting patients who received financial assistance for a clinical trial.
Sixty-four patients with cancer received financial support for a clinical trial, 27 (42%) of whom were interviewed. Participants whose distance to a trial site was over 400 km received almost three times as much financial support (M = A$3194.20, s.d. = A$1597.60) as participants whose distance to a trial site was between 50 and 100 km (M = A$1116.29, s.d. = $A1311.23). Half of participants indicated that receiving financial assistance influenced their decision to participate in a clinical trial, and most indicated the support alleviated the financial burden of clinical trial participation.
The provision of financial assistance to patients living in regional areas may reduce inequities in cancer clinical trial participation and improve psychosocial outcomes.
Keywords: access to cancer care, cancer clinical trials, clinical trial participation, equity, financial assistance, health policy, IPTAAS, Isolated Patient Transport and Accommodation Assistance Scheme, rural and remote health, travel and accommodation.
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