In June 2015, the SPHPM's Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre (ANZIC-RC) hosted the 2nd Collaborative Clinical Trials in Intensive Care Medicine Conference in Prato, Italy, with invited attendees from more than 15 countries. The organising committee comprised of Prof Jamie Cooper (Convenor), Prof Paul Myles, A/Prof Andrew Davies, Dr Carol Hodgson, Dr Vin Pellegrino, Lynne Murray and Amanda Martin (Coordinator).
The Conference took place at Monash University's Prato Centre in the elegant Salone Grollo of the Palazzo Vaj, from Monday 15 to Wednesday 17 June. The Collaborative Clinical Trials in Anaesthesia Conference was held from Wednesday 17 to Friday 19 June, with a combined day on the Wednesday.
The Prato conference provided a unique opportunity for participants to engage with internationally renowned leaders in intensive care medicine clinical trials. Presentations covered six main themes: clinical trials in ICU recovery, ventilation strategies for acute lung injury, blood transfusion, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), traumatic brain injury and septic shock. Highlighted were 11 pivotal trials published recently or due for completion over the next 12 months.
We were delighted to have the Honourable Mike Rann, Australia's Ambassador to Italy, San Marino, Albania and Libya, address the Conference. He spoke highly of the leadership demonstrated by the Australian Intensive Care Medicine and Anaesthesia groups to strengthen the international collaborative networks for clinical trials, particularly with Europe.
Feedback from the meeting has been very positive.
