New national centre to focus on enhancing responses to crystal methamphetamine and emerging drugs of concern

August 2018

The National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs (NCCRED) has been established to support the provision of clinical treatment interventions to people experiencing problems related to their use of methamphetamine and other emerging drugs of concern.

NCCRED aims to bring clinicians and researchers together to embed research in clinical practice and translate and disseminate effective treatments into practice.

The Centre is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health. NDARC, NCETA, NDRI and St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney form the consortium members of NCCRED and the nucleus of the Centre’s Board and Executive Committee. Dr Nadine Ezard has been appointed as NCCRED’s inaugural Director.

NCCRED’s objectives include:

  1. Generate new evidence-based knowledge that leads to improved treatment and health outcomes
  2. Translate evidence-based research outcomes into clinical practice and clinical guidelines and guidance products
  3. Support and implement health and medical research workforce development for healthcare workers in the AOD and primary healthcare sectors
  4. Facilitate collaboration within the AOD and across other sectors
  5. Undertake and contribute to the evaluation of treatment models and outcomes.

Two groups are being formed to guide the work of the Centre:

  • Clinical Reference Group – to steward and support the development of NCCRED’s Workforce Development Strategy; and advise on, review and disseminate NCCRED’s clinical materials
  • Clinical Research Network Working Group – to guide the clinical research strategy and capacity building work of NCCRED.

NCCRED would like to hear from clinicians, clinical researchers, and researchers who are interested in the work of the centre, driving the clinical research priorities, and being kept informed of the Centre’s work (research projects, funding opportunities, mentorship and fellowship programs, and new and emerging evidence). Please contact info@nccred.org.au to provide feedback and ideas, and to join our mailing list; and look out for our upcoming website: www.nccred.org.au.

NCCRED is currently partnering with NCETA to undertake an audit of Australian methamphetamine clinical guidelines (see New Projects in this edition for more information).