Senate releases report into funding for research into cancers with low survival rates

The report called on the Federal Government to make research into low-survival cancers a national health priority as funding was not as easily accessible for different treatment options as it is for other cancers.

ALLG Chairman, Associate Professor Peter Mollee said that after a thorough review of the report, ‘we believe the 25 recommendations offer a way forward that is both ambitious yet achievable’ should the recommendations outlined in the report be adopted”.

“A key priority of the ALLG, was to inform the Senate Inquiry of the limited funding options available for clinical trials addressing blood cancers of low survival rate”, said A/Prof Mollee.

The ALLG agree that the government needs to actively remove barriers to common cancer drugs by providing more funding for the repurposing of drugs that already exist, setting up a national biobank that includes tumour samples, and access to off-label drugs for low survival rate cancer patients without further treatment options on compassionate grounds.

ALLG director, Professor Andrew Roberts also noted that an increase in government funding will ‘give us the opportunity to increase access to clinical trials and access to ethically collected blood, bone marrow and tissue samples’ which is critical to continuing our research into blood cancers with low survival rates.

“The government’s consideration to implement a national network of sample and clinical data is critical to building local capacity and expertise enabling Australian researchers to better develop innovative treatments and tests that directly benefit Australians”, said Prof Roberts.

“We will continue to advocate for better outcomes and improved access to new technology, and tests that could make major breakthroughs into how cancer is treated.

Throughout the Committee’s inquiry, Senators on the Select Committee took part in hearings in six locations across Australia, received 326 submissions and heard from 117 witnesses. The final report is available here.