Trial Link is a national project funded by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) that is making linked administrative health data more accessible, understandable and usable for clinical trials and medical product development. Through Trial Link, we are:

• Improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of data linkage in clinical trials
• Enabling clinical trial researchers to more easily discover, access and learn about linked data.

The challenge:
Data Connect Australia’s vision is to enable to the linkage of data to improve the wellbeing of all Australians. Clinical trials are a critical part of this ecosystem, generating the evidence needed to bring new treatments, devices and models of care to patients. However, despite the significant value that linked health data can offer clinical trials, it is underutilised across the sector.

In-depth consultations with clinical trialists across Australia confirmed that researchers see significant value in linked health data, however, identified significant barriers that have limited its use. Researchers told us they needed greater awareness of the linked data opportunities available to them, including the infrastructure, data assets and access pathways that could support clinical trials. Many were unaware of the options available or whether they were eligible to access linked administrative data.

Researchers also highlighted the need for more fit-for-purpose data products and simpler access pathways. They wanted access to the right data at the right time to support trial planning, feasibility assessments, study design and participant follow-up, alongside more streamlined processes for accessing data across multiple jurisdictions and organisations.

Finally, researchers identified a need for clearer guidance, greater transparency and more support. This included practical information on legal, ethical and governance requirements, improved visibility of costs and timeframes, and training resources to help researchers confidently incorporate linked data into clinical trial design and delivery.