Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry

The AustralianNew Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) is a publicly accessible online platform that registers and discloses details of clinical trials conducted in Australia and New Zealand. It accepts submissions for interventional studies, observational research, device evaluations, behavioural interventions and public health trials, allowing sponsors, investigators and ethics committees to record protocol information, track progress and post results. The registry provides a unique identifier known as an ACTRN for each registered trial, which facilitates citation and tracking across scientific literature and regulatory submissions. Users can search the database by condition, intervention, sponsor, location or trial status, offering free access to patients, clinicians, policymakers and researchers seeking evidence on ongoing or completed studies. ANZCTR operates under the auspices of the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, which is based at the University of Sydney, and receives funding from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council as well as institutional support from the university. The service promotes transparency in clinical research by aligning with the World Health Organization’s International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and adhering to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors’ requirements for trial registration.

ANZCTR holds formal recognition as a WHO‑recognised Primary Registry, meaning its data contribute to the global searchable pool of trial information and support international efforts to reduce publication bias. Its affiliation with a university‑affiliated research centre links the registry to academic expertise in trial design, ethics and regulatory guidance, reinforcing its role as a trusted source for trial metadata. The organisation is not a commercial venture; it functions as a not‑for‑profit service funded primarily through government grants and university resources, ensuring that registration remains free for users. In February 2025 the ANZCTR website was temporarily deactivated following a cybersecurity breach, which halted new registrations, updates to trial details and modifications to user accounts. The hosting university notified affected users by email, advised those needing urgent registration to use alternatives such as ClinicalTrials.gov or other WHO‑recognised Primary Registries, and issued an apology for the disruption. Restoration timelines were promised to be communicated on the site once the service was fully operational again, highlighting the registry’s dependence on secure hosting arrangements while underscoring its importance as critical infrastructure for clinical trial transparency in the Australasian region.