Invitation for Melbourne GP Network members to participate in University landmark trial - a landmark opportunity for GPs to participate in the largest Australian study to influence clinical care of the elderly.

GPs widely prescribe aspirin for secondary prevention, however what is not known is whether aspirin can prolong a healthy lifestyle by preventing primary AMIs, CVAs, dementia and some cancers, such as bowel cancer, in senior Australians.

ASPREE (ASPirin In Reducing Events in the Elderly) is a large 5 year double-blind, randomised, placebo controlled study of low dose daily aspirin on the physical and cognitive health in people aged 70 +. It is the largest primary prevention trial in Australian history, recruiting over 12,000 elderly people in Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT and 6,500 from the US.

And it is the first trial to consider both primary prevention as well as the risk/benefit analysis of aspirin in this, or indeed any, age group.

Features include:

• Minimal load on the GP - Monash study staff do 95% of the work
  
• GPs, who sign up as co-investigators to the trial, can be eligible for 40 Cat1 QACPD points, without consuming reports. There is minimal disruption to their existing clinical practice.
  
• Clinics will also receive a one-off administration payment of $100 for every randomised participant
  
• Atypical tests and pathology ie anaemia are reported back to the GP
  
• But most importantly, this trial enables your division and members to contribute to a national health policy for one of our most under-represented populations

ASPREE is a collaborative effort by Monash, Melbourne and Australian National Universities as well as the Menzies Research Institute (TAS) and Berman Institute (USA).
More information about ASPREE is available on www.aspree.org