In July BCAC Chair, Libby Burgess, travelled to the Australian New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group (ANZBCTG) 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting, held in Queensland. The meeting attracted more than 200 researchers and international guest speakers to discuss the latest developments in breast cancer research, future directions for clinical trials and improving patient care.
Libby, who attended ANZBCTG as a member of the IMPACT program (see below), says the meeting provides an opportunity to discuss the latest research with experts and learn how the results might affect clinical trials and patient care.
“It’s great to be able to bring up-to-date information back to our local communities as a way of highlighting the importance of research into the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.”
Consumer involvement in breast cancer clinical trials is an important part of the research undertaken by ANZBCTG - our region’s largest independent oncology clinical trials research group.
The Group conducts an innovative research program that tests the efficacy of new breast cancer treatments and prevention interventions, through the conduct of multi-centre clinical trials. In New Zealand, Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, North Shore, Palmerston North, Waikato and Wellington Hospitals all participate in ANZBCTG breast cancer clinical trials.
For more than 10 years, the Group’s Consumer Advisory Panel (CAP) has provided a consumer perspective and advice in the planning and development of clinical trials, particularly in the area of patient information and consent materials. CAP advocates for women who participate in breast cancer clinical trials and aims to raise community awareness of the importance of this research for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Mrs Raewyn Calvert is the New Zealand representative on CAP.
IMPACT is an ANZBCTG program that acknowledges women’s contributions to clinical trials research, and keeps them and other interested consumers informed about the Group’s research program.
The IMPACT “Advocate Program” provides consumers with an opportunity to attend the
ANZBCTG Annual Scientific Meeting and gives them insight into how research is planned and implemented. The aim is to equip consumers with knowledge and understanding of the breast cancer clinical trials research process in order to promote its importance in the control of breast cancer.
Five women from around Australia and New Zealand participated in the 2011 IMPACT Advocate Program. They attended the daily scientific sessions and ANZBCTG researchers helped them to interpret the science via daily Tutorial Sessions. Each felt the program was very worthwhile.
If you would like more information about ANZBCTG’s research or wonder whether you would be eligible to participate in a breast cancer clinical trial visit www.anzbctg.org. For details of trials underway in New Zealand visit BCAC’s clinical trials page http://www.breastcancer.org.nz/AboutBC/Clinical-trials. If you would like to become an advocate for breast cancer clinical trials by joining the IMPACT program contact BCAC or email your details to impact@bcia.org.au
