FAQ's

• During your in-house stay, NZCR provides all your food, beverages, towels and bedding.
• We provide a standardised meal with a meat or vegetarian option.
• You will sleep in a hospital bed in a ward type situation with the beds separated by curtains.
• You are not able to bring any food or beverage into the unit (including water bottles and snacks). The doctor in charge of the trial may request a random bag check to ensure you do not have any prohibited items.
• Please bring personal toiletries and casual clothing for the length of your stay in a small bag if possible – we do not have storage for large suitcases. For your safety, you must wear footwear when moving about.
• We have unlimited Free Wi-Fi so please bring your device if you wish.
• We are unable to provide onsite parking. Transport options will be discussed with you during the screening process.
• Each NZCR facility has rules for staying in-house which are available onsite. Please ask our friendly staff if you are unsure.
• All participants and any visitors must sign into the facility.
• To protect the privacy of you, other trial participants and NZCR staff, photography or filming by cameras, cell phones or any other digital device is strictly NOT permitted.

NZCR provides compensation for the time and inconvenience of taking part in a clinical trial.  This includes payment for trial participation and travel to our facilities.

Compensation for trial participation is based on the time and inconvenience involved with taking part in the trial.  All our payments are made at the end of the trial on completion of the required forms.  We are required to deduct tax from the trial payment. If you require information about taxation, please contact an independent adviser as we are not able to provide this advice.

Please visit our FORMS section to complete the applicable forms.

A clinical trial is a scientific trial that involves people.  A clinical trial investigates whether a medicine is safe and effective for the treatment of a disease or medical condition. They are conducted by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in collaboration with independent investigators (our research doctors).

Results from clinical trials can be used to make new medicines available for patients worldwide.  Clinical trials can involve “healthy participants” and patient populations.

There are several phases in clinical trials.

• Phase 1: Focuses on the safety of the medicine.
• Phase II: Focuses mostly on the effectiveness of the trial medicine in treating the intended disease.
• Phase III: Focuses on safety, effectiveness and determining the right dose to treat the disease.

All NZCR trials are approved by New Zealand regulatory authorities.

To ensure participant safety, all clinical trials conducted in NZ must be approved by the appropriate regulatory authorities. There is always some risk associated with taking any medicine and there will be an additional risk in taking any new medicines. There is no way to predict how an individual may react to any medication. Health risks and side effects are pre-determined during pre-clinical and early clinical trials, side effects can differ from person to person. There is no way to 100% predict how a treatment will affect an individual, therefore early phase clinical trials involve many rigorous safety assessments.

• Before agreeing to participate in the trial, participants need to read the participant information sheet and understand what participation in the trial will involve.
• Our staff discuss the trial over the phone to check your eligibility (i.e., if you are suitable for the trial) in a pre- screening phone call.
• If suitable you attend our research facility to meet our medical team who will answer any questions you have, undertake medical tests e.g., blood, urine and other trial specific tests to determine your suitability to take part in the trial.
• If you decide to take part in the trial, you will be asked to sign a consent form.
• This is called Informed Consent. By signing the Consent Form trial participants are agreeing to participate in the trial.
• Participation in clinical trials is voluntary – you can withdraw from the trial at any time. Please note it is important for safety reasons that trial participants attend all the clinic visits as prescribed by the trial staff.

NZCR values the trust and confidence you place in us by providing your personal information. We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of individual’s personal information, and health information. Your personal information may be viewed by NZCR staff and clinical trial sponsors, or their representatives, in accordance with NZCR Privacy Standards.

Please refer to our privacy policy.

To gain advice related to volunteer rights in a clinical trial, you may contact a Health & Disability Consumer Advocate on 0800 11 22 33.

As a frequent participant, I have found some people like to bring in their own pillows and blankets (I know I do).  You may also find it useful to bring earplugs, and an eye mask as this can help with sleeping.  And if you have favourite slippers and hoodie, then bring those too 🙂 

1. You will receive two emails. The first email will let you know your username (starts with VP-) and will ask you to create your password.
2. The second email contains a link to the eConsent form if you wish to open it later. However, once you set up your password in Step 1, it will also auto direct you to the eConsent page for the study you wish you join.
   
3. Once you have entered your username and password, you will be redirected to the welcome page. Click on eConsents
   
4. Note: If you have visited the portal to sign a different eConsent form in the past, please use your old password. Otherwise, please click the “Forgot your password?” link and enter your username (starts with VP-).
5. You will see a list of all the consent forms you need to complete (starting with IC-). Click on each of the consent form.
   
6. Navigate through the different sections of the consent form. It will start with a Main Consent Form. Depending on your study, it may or may not contain Optional Consent Forms. If it includes Option or Future Study Consent Forms, you need to complete all forms by either accepting or declining the optional consent forms. Note: you cannot sign/view the optional consent forms if you decline the main form.
   
7. Each consent form contains a PDF. Scroll down through to the bottom of the document. At the end of the PDF, there will be an option for you to either Continue, Decline or Save for Later.
   
   
8. If you wish to Continue, enter your username (starting with VP indicated in the first email sent to you) and enter your password. Click save. Your signature ID will be generated. Click the next arrow button > at the bottom right to complete the rest of the consent forms. If you do not wish to continue with the study, click decline and save.
   
9. Once you have completed all consent forms you can now close the window. Once the doctor has also signed you will receive a copy of the finalised consent form as well. You can now close the window and you will no longer be able to access the portal unless you have other pending consents to sign.

If you have visited the portal to sign a different eConsent form in the past, please use your old password. Otherwise, please click the “Forgot your password?” link and enter your username (starts with VP-). Your username is also provide in the emails you receive when setting up. Save your password and username just like any regular login as if you do studies with us again in the future it can speed up the process.

Don’t bring any food or your own snacks or drinks.  It can mess with the trial.  The food is good and there’s plenty of it.