BCAC applauds the recommendations of Parliament’s Health Select Committee to make it easier to conduct clinical trials in New Zealand.
The committee has been considering how New Zealand can improve innovation through clinical trials and released its report this week (08/06/11).
It made four key recommendations. These were to:
- simplify and streamline ethical review processes
- promote collaboration between Government departments to coordinate the system
- develop a national health research action plan to foster innovation and commercialisation
- develop a framework for clinical trial research throughout district health boards, to be facilitated by a hub.
The report will now be considered by the Government.
BCAC chair, Libby Burgess, welcomes the committee’s recommendations and urges the Government to adopt them.
“Clinical trials offer opportunities for breast cancer patients to be involved in testing innovative new medicines which frequently improve survival outcomes,” Libby says.
“It’s crucial that New Zealanders have more and better access to clinical trials so that we can be at the forefront of these medical advances.
“It’s also vital for our medical professionals to be able to conduct clinical trials with ease so that they can continue to retain a competitive edge in global cancer research.”
