PDF printable version of Cancer Clinical Trials Extended to Regional Patients this Daffodil Day (PDF 28 KB)
Joint Release
The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Minister for Health and Ageing
The Hon Warren Snowdon MP
Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery
28 August 2009
Cancer patients in Bendigo, Wodonga, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie and Hobart will now be able to benefit from new cancer treatments as part of clinical cancer trials.
This Daffodil Day we announce funding of $450,000 to increase regional access to the cancer clinical trials undertaken by Australia’s existing Multi-site Collaborative National Cancer Clinical Trials Groups.
This announcement means that patients in regional areas can now benefit from new cancer treatments that have previously only been offered to city locations.
Clinical trials are essential for improving cancer care. They help to determine whether new cancer treatments, diagnostic tests or preventive interventions are effective, and identify best practice cancer care.
However, these trials have been more difficult to access for people living in regional areas who, on average, have poorer cancer outcomes than city-dwellers.
The Regional Multi-site Clinical Trials Capacity Building Network includes the Bendigo Health Care Group and the Border Medical Oncology Research (Wodonga) in Victoria, the two North Coast Cancer Institutes at Coffs Harbour Health Campus and Port Macquarie Base Hospital in NSW, and the Royal Hobart Hospital in Tasmania.
Daffodil Day is a day which raises essential funds for cancer research, education and support programs. It is a fitting tribute on Daffodil Day, that more Australians will now have the opportunity to benefit from emerging treatments and tests.
It is not just a day for all Australians to unite and lend their support to the fight against cancer, but it is a day to celebrate the spirit of cancer survivors and their families, carers and medical specialists. Daffodil Day recognises the invaluable contribution of the Cancer Council across Australia in providing care and support for people impacted by cancer.
Cancer remains one of Australia's biggest health problems and the chances are you know someone whose life is affected by this terrible disease. An estimated 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85. An estimated 111,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Australia in 2009.
Cancer is a leading cause of death in Australia, with more than 42,000 people expected to die from cancer in 2009.
But things have improved with survival rates for many common cancers having increased over the past two decades.
The Rudd Government is committed to fighting cancer through prevention, early detection and evidence based treatment and care, and is investing $1.3 billion to improve Australia’s cancer infrastructure, including:
- $560 million to establish a network of around ten best-practice regional cancer centres, to help close the gap in outcomes for cancer patients in rural and regional Australia
- $426 million for the Parkville Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Melbourne
- $100 million for Lifehouse at RPA, the new Sydney Cancer Centre at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, in addition to the $50 million committed in the 2008-09 Budget
- $120 million to provide BreastScreen Australia with state of the art digital mammography equipment
- $70 million to expand the Garvan St Vincent’s cancer centre in Sydney
For more information or to donate, visit
www.daffodilday.com.au
Media Contacts: Minister Roxon’s Office 02 6277 7220
Minister Snowdon’s Office 02 6277 7380
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