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reNEW Melbourne PREPARE researcher Dr Leanne Rees has been awarded a two-year grant through the Victorian Government-owned Transport Accident Commission (TAC) Best Client Outcomes Grant Program.
Dr Rees is based in the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) Stem Cell Ethics and Policy group.
The funding will support a project designed to accelerate the development and pilot of a new communication approach to help clinicians respond to health misinformation, particularly around unproven therapies.
The project will bring together researchers, clinicians and educators from MCRI, The Royal Children’s Hospital and Austin Health, working in partnership with people living with a spinal cord injury. Together, they will co-design and test practical tools to support real-world clinical conversations.
Dr Rees said clinicians frequently encounter questions driven by online content and media coverage, including claims about treatments that are neither proven nor regulated within local healthcare systems.
“These conversations are often about more than the facts,” she said. “We want to make sure clinicians can respond in a way that’s honest and compassionate, while also helping patients and families navigate misinformation and avoiding potential harm.”
The project builds on Dr Rees’ previous research, which has shown that these discussions can be difficult for clinicians and often leave patients and families dissatisfied.
“There are no established resources to guide clinicians through conversations that may involve distress, uncertainty and hope,” she said. “It’s hoped that by developing and testing a communication strategy with clinicians and people with lived experience, our project will change that.”
The TAC Best Client Outcomes Grant Program supports initiatives aimed at improving the quality of health and disability services across Victoria. It funds research projects focused on enhancing recovery, rehabilitation and participation in life for people injured in transport accidents.
