Overview

Cancer research and clinical trials are vital to increase our understanding of how to prevent cancer, develop new approaches to detecting, diagnosing and treating cancers, and improve support and care for people affected by cancer.

Cancer Australia administers funding for research and clinical trials support. We have developed new programs to better coordinate cancer research in Australia and to build and support cancer clinical trials.

Our current priorities are:

• increasing coordination and funding of cancer research, through the Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research scheme
• actively building capacity for cancer clinical trials to be undertaken in Australia and increasing the involvement of consumers in clinical trials
• conducting an audit of cancer research activity in Australia, and
• developing a National Cancer Research Plan.

Cancer Australia has established a National Research Advisory Group to guide this work and to provide advice about:

• current and emerging issues in cancer research (horizon scanning),
• priorities for cancer research in Australia, and
• supporting Australia’s representatives on the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) councils.

Audit of cancer research activity

Cancer Australia’s audit of cancer research activity in Australia has gathered information about research grants funded by national and international government and non-government organisations between 2003 and 2005.  This will help identify the current investment in cancer research in Australia.  

The results will help inform our development of a National Cancer Research Plan, which will identify research priorities and opportunities to improve coordination and collaboration.