UK NCRI introduces five-year strategy to advance cancer research

UK NCRI introduces five-year strategy to advance cancer research - Pharmaceutical Technology

The UK National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) has launched a new five-year strategy to expedite cancer research through collaboration.

The strategy is expected to maximise opportunities to improve the health and quality of life of the patients and people who may develop cancer in future.

The research will also facilitate improvements in prevention, treatment and patient care.

NCRI director Karen Kennedy said: "There has never been a more urgent need for collaboration to fund research that addresses the complex needs of cancer patients at every stage of their journey through and beyond cancer.

"Research is making life-changing advances in cancer treatments, but the long-term effects of cancer can have a far-reaching impact, affecting people’s health and quality of life."

The NCRI partnership will work together to accelerate the translation of cancer research into clinical practice, to improve the relevance of research, identify major opportunities and challenges in cancer research and also ensure a coordinated effort towards it in the UK.

The partnership is a collaboration between 19 cancer research funders from the UK’s charity and government sectors.

"Research is making life-changing advances in cancer treatments, but the long-term effects of cancer can have a far-reaching impact, affecting people’s health and quality of life."

It will facilitate more than 250 meetings annually, which will bring together clinicians, scientists, research nurses, patient experts and other specialists.

The partnership will coordinate a Clinical Trials Unit Group, where trial specialists will identify common requirements to all cancer clinical trials simultaneously.

NCRI will also organise Clinical Studies Groups, which will have the responsibility to bring together UK experts to accelerate research to improve cancer treatments.

One of the core objectives of NCRI is to facilitate research to identify the requirements of the people who are living with and beyond cancer through a new initiative ‘Living with and Beyond Cancer’.

NCRI partnered with James Lind Alliance for this initiative, whereby people affected by cancer and clinical healthcare professionals can forward their questions, which will be addressed through research.

These collaborations are expected to provide relief and improve the health and quality of life of cancer patients.

The NCRI partnership, established in 2001, facilitates collaboration between cancer research funders and addresses various challenges in cancer research that cannot be accomplished by a single organisation.

The partnership consists of 19 funders across the four UK nations, which have an investment of more than £6bn collectively in cancer research.