Reorganisation of cancer trial centres to speed up experimental treatments

By The Press Association23rd May 2016News EnglandCancer, Medication / Vaccines, News England, Palliative Care

Doctors are to bring experimental cancer treatments to patients sooner under a reorganisation of trial centres.

A new collaboration will allow the Experimental Cancer Medicines Centre (ECMC) Network to speed up the introduction of lab-tested drugs into early phase patient trials.

Clinical trials in the UK are often delayed because of variations in the way they are set up.

Under the new plan, 18 ECMC centres will operate the same way and to the same standards, cutting red tape and assisting team work between researchers.

The aim is to get early phase trials approved sooner, making the UK a more attractive location for international pharmaceutical and life sciences companies.

As a result, UK patients will find it easier to gain access to innovative new treatments.

Aoife Regan, head of the ECMC Network, said: “It’s essential for the UK to deliver clinical trials more efficiently if it is to build its reputation as a world leader in early phase clinical research.

“We already have some of the best early phase clinical trial researchers in the world and this agreement builds on that by setting new standards for the set up and delivery of clinical trials.

“By getting innovative treatments to cancer patients more quickly, we hope to build our international reputation and increase our ability to attract more companies to the UK.”

Life sciences minister George Freeman said: “Effective clinical trials ensure that patients can benefit from the world-leading medical research taking place across the country.

“The Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre Network shows how collaborative work between charities and the government is driving forward new cancer discoveries.”

The ECMC Network is a joint initiative between Cancer Research UK and the four UK health departments covering England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Sir Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “We’re delighted that our ECMC Network is continuing to help cancer patients around the country benefit from world-leading research taking place here in the UK.

“This initiative will ultimately help potentially life-saving drugs reach cancer patients sooner by accelerating the first step of clinical research.”