Frequently Asked Questions

RDC Clinical is a clinical research organisation (CRO) specialising in complementary medicines, dietary supplements, functional foods & cosmetics.

At RDC we strongly believe in evidence based medicine. Our passion is researching innovative products that have the potential to offer a real benefit to people’s lives.

Our Clinical Trial Team is lead by Dr Amanda Rao who has been conducting clinical studies for over 14 years in the complementary medicine industry. We are a friendly group of professionals with extensive experience in medical research, natural health & nutrition.

We are centrally located in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane (parking available); however, we also run a number of studies that can be completed remotely (online/phone) from anywhere in Australia.

RDC conducts a variety of trials including Phase III, IV, post-market surveys and pharmacokinetic studies.

The trial duration can be anywhere from one day to several months, depending on the specific product being studied.

Most trials will require participants to take or use a trial product over a designated time period. Assessments will occur at the beginning ‘baseline’ and also at the conclusion of the trial, and often at time points during the study.

Double-blind means that neither the Trial Co-ordinators monitoring your progress, nor you will know which compound you are taking.

Randomised means that the allocation of product is selected by chance (using a validated software program) and not selected or controlled by the Trial Co-ordinators or Investigators.

Once the study is concluded it is ‘unblinded’ and we can reveal to you which group you were in (active or placebo).

If you were on the placebo during the study you may be eligible to receive active product free of charge for a period of 1-4 months. We do this where possible so that all trial participants have the opportunity to try the active product.

From time to time we also conduct “open-label” studies. This means that the study product comes in the same branded packaging as you would find for sale in a store. All participants receive the active study product as there is no placebo. These types of studies are most likely post-market studies where the product is already for sale, and most common for studies on cosmetics.

People participate in trials for a number of reasons; however, we have found the overwhelming reason is that people wish to contribute to the body of knowledge on products that can improve health and wellbeing in the population.

Certain condition specific trials may be of interest to people that are experiencing symptoms of that condition, as participating in a trial gains them access to innovative products that may improve their symptoms, and further detailed assessment of their personal situation.

Many trials also require participants to undergo tests such as body scans or blood tests. These tests are paid for by RDC, and participants have access to these results that they can take to their health professional if they choose.

Most of our studies also offer a small monetary payment for participation.

We are so proud of our dedicated team of Trial Coordinators. Whilst we know that they do an amazing job, it is always appreciated to receive positive feedback from our Trial Participants. 

I have already recommended my family and friends to participate RDC studies. The staffs are friendly and clearly describe the information about the studies. I like the way of great communication and very clear instructions through out the studies.

I liked that there was an option to communicate via text with the trial coordinators – text can be a lot easier than stepping away to make a phone call in a private place during my workday. They were always very prompt and friendly. It was good.

The contact and genuine care from Georgia throughout study was exemplary.

Great staff at RDC! So professional and informative!

Very good professional service and friendly.

Georgia and Lara were professional and delightful to deal with. I have already recommended the study to my sister who was also accepted. It feels good to participate in medical research and have insight into the future of health benefits. Thanks ladies. Highly recommended company.

Staff were very friendly, and I felt as though I could call with a question at any time.

I have participated in studies through other organisations and found the whole process to be unorganised and tedious…but RDC, what a breath of fresh air. Totally organised and professional with well trained, informative and friendly staff. I would not hesitate to be involved in future studies.

Staff were incredibly friendly, warm and welcoming. They made the process seamless and were very transparent (to the extent the study allowed them to be). I would definitely like to participate in more trials with RDC.

The staff at RDC Clinical were very friendly and helpful. They respond quickly to emails and text messages, and were readily available if I needed to speak to someone. Thank you for the wonderful experience.

I was very happy to help and I think it is important that people help with studies like that to improve the health of others too.

The support from the staff was second to none. I felt ‘involved’ and was not treated as a ‘guinea pig’.

All staff were beautiful and always very helpful. Any questions asked were sorted within a very short timeframe. RDC Clinical are obviously experts in your field. I could not find anything wrong with the whole process. I felt very supported through the whole study. Well done to everyone.

I found RDC very accomodating in relation to when I was available to visit which as a necessity of the study i.e. Open early hours and on the weekend. A smooth and enjoyable experience, thanks to the very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Thank you.

Staff were friendly, regular and timely text kept me on track and also good stages to re evaluate how I was going against study expectations. Brilliant health outcomes for me and also great information and advice at the end of the study. This provided actual progress and benefits enjoyed from the study i.e. bone density, fat composition and suggestions to keep on track following the study and make further changes to improve health, all a very positive experience. Thank you.

The information provided was very clear and the staff were very positive, supportive and a pleasure to deal with.

I found the whole experience enjoyable and interesting. Everyone was helpful and cheerful.

It was very easy and well organised and flexible for working people. Suggestion to put the address into the Txt as sometimes forget to get email or access whilst enroute to the scan or scheduled visit. I have recommended 3 others to go on, and they are very happy also with the process. thank you – now to keep the weight off and learn whether I was on placebo or active.

I felt supported and encourage the entire duration of this study . The staff are absolutely wonderful. Thank you for all of your hard work.

I found the staff I dealt with professional, friendly and put me at ease from the first point of contact.

I was very happy with all of my interactions with RDC and would be greatly interested in participating in future trials.

Excellent professional and friendly staff -thank you.

Thanks for the opportunity 🙂 enjoyed it

Very interesting study and I look forward to the results. Staff were always helpful and friendly.

I was very happy with the process and the staff were always very friendly and helpful. I would like to do other studies with RDC.

The information provided was very clear and the staff were very positive, supportive and a pleasure to deal with.

All the staff were very friendly and accommodating as well as flexible with my changing of appointments. I enjoyed participating and learning how a “study process” goes. Thank you, it was very interesting and am looking forward to the results.

Everyone I dealt with was very friendly and professional. The team was fantastic to visit and helped make it a relaxing environment to visit. I thoroughly enjoyed my visits for the study. Keep up the great work.

All the staff were very courteous and friendly. Excellent blood taking techniques.

All very easy to understand. Organised and helpful. Very welcoming staff. Impressive.

Everything was explained in simple terms and all correspondence was on time and easy to understand.

Yes The products used in our clinical trials have all been approved for trial use. 

The majority of the complimentary medicines used in our trials are listed with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). This means that they have undergone extensive investigation and have been approved for use within Australia. 

If a product is new to Australia and not yet registered with the TGA for sale in Australia, we seek registration for the product with the TGA for clinical trial use, in addition, an independent ethics committee reviews product specification and safety data prior to approving the use in the study. 

All foods comply with Food Standards Australia and New Zealand and all cosmetics comply with the Australian Cosmetics Standard.

Each trial participant must pass a screening call to ensure they are eligible to participate in the study.

For each study, a number of inclusion and exclusion criteria are agreed in consultation with the study sponsor and the ethics committee. 

The questions asked during the screening process are to ascertain whether potential participants meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria and are eligible to participate, so it is important that you answer these questions truthfully.

As the majority of products we are assessing fall into the category of supplements or complementary medicines, we are required to enrol ‘otherwise healthy participants’ in our studies. This means that for most studies, anyone with a life threatening or unstable illness, a smoker or with a BMI of greater than 40 is likely to be ineligible to participate.

All trials are conducted within Australia.

Physical trial sites may include Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Northern NSW.

In addition, some trials are conducted electronically throughout Australia, utilising online reporting tools and telephone interviews.

Once you register your interest for one of our trials, you will be contacted by one of our Trial Co-ordinators who will carefully screen you against the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria for the trial. 

After the initial screening phase, you will be provided with the full Participant Information Brochure, along with the official Consent Form. Our Trial Co-ordinators are available to answer any queries you may have regarding the trial process. After you have read the Participant Information Brochure, you will be asked to sign the Consent Form to officially enrol in the trial.

We understand that it can be disappointing to be deemed ineligible to participate in a study; however, please know that the inclusion and exclusion criteria are carefully designed so as to ensure both participant safety and accurate study results. Each study has different criteria so it is likely that if you are generally healthy, you will be able to find a study that does suit you either now or in the future. 

As a valued participant in an RDC trial you can expect:

• friendly and professional communication from the RDC team
• full information regarding the trial
• your wellbeing to be treated as a priority
• your questions answered in a timely manner
• your personal information to be kept secure at all times

Each trial is different, you may be asked to complete blood tests, DXA scans (body composition), saliva samples, online questionnaires and attend our office for interviews with our Trial Co-ordinators.

You will receive regular emails from us to help you keep track of your progress and remind you of any upcoming appointments or due dates. Our Trial Co-ordinators will ensure you are informed of what is required of you before you start any trial.

We pride ourselves on providing a positive experience to our trial participants.

Yes – We adhere to Good Clinical Practice guidelines (GCP), the National Privacy Principles & privacy requirements as required by the Human Research Ethics Committee. Your personal details are never disclosed to any third party (unless required by law), nor are they used during the data analysis phase.

When you enrol in a study you are allocated a Participant ID. This ID is used on the data collection forms.

All data is de-identified before any analysis occurs.

We use an internationally accredited software system to manage your personal details which ensures your details are secure. In addition, any hard copy files containing personal details are kept in locked storage.

However, should you experience any symptoms or side effects after taking your product please contact the Trial Co-ordinator as soon as possible. You will be given a 24hr contact number with your paperwork and it is also printed on each bottle of product you receive

As always, in the case of an emergency, please contact emergency services on 000.

The results of the trials are compiled, analysed and used to assess the effectiveness of the product being studied. Product developers use trial results to provide evidence of the product’s effectiveness, to continue innovating new products, and to find new uses for existing products.

In many cases, the results are written into a report and published in a relevant journal to be shared with the medical and academic community. Results are also used to provide evidence for product effectiveness to regulatory bodies, distributors, retail channels and end-users.

Conducting and analysing research can be a lengthy process. Most of our trials have a rolling recruitment over a period of 2- 12 months, so it can often take up to 6-18 months for all participants to complete and the research to be examined.

Rest assured though, that your contribution is valued and conducting research could not be possible without the generous help of people like you.

Once the results have been analysed, your individual results, and a summary of the trial outcomes will be sent to you.

All of our studies require participants that are ‘generally healthy’.  This means, as a general guideline, we are unable to accept participants into any study who smoke, use recreational drugs or have a serious or unstable medical condition.

If you consider yourself  ‘generally healthy’, we invite you to submit your details HERE to be notified of new studies as the become available.