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NHMRC and Cancer Australia – partners in cancer research
19 September 2008
NHMRC and Cancer Australia support cancer research in Australia through a variety of schemes.
The newest of these is the collaborative venture – the Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research
Scheme (PdCCRS).
The PdCCRS focuses on reducing the impact of cancer on the community and improving outcomes for people affected by cancer, including those with poorer outcomes. This scheme is managed by Cancer Australia, together with the NHMRC, and brings together government and other funders of cancer research to collaboratively fund cancer research in Australia.
The joint assessment process involves initial peer review by the NHMRC for scientific quality and significance followed by assessment against specific priority criteria by Cancer Australia and its funding partners.
This scheme increases the Government’s total commitment to cancer research. The NHMRC will invest $134m in cancer research in Australia in 2008, bolstered by a further $10.5 million from Cancer Australia and its funding partners.
Cancer Australia’s funding partners in the first round of the scheme in 2007 were the National Breast Cancer Foundation, the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and the Diagnostics and Technology Branch of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. In 2008, the partners are the National Breast Cancer Foundation, beyondblue: the national depression initiative, Cure Cancer Australia Foundation and the Cancer Council Australia. Funding partners identify and fund research priorities that each believes can make most the difference to people affected by cancer.
Towards achieving this goal, 17 of the 24 PdCCRS grants awarded funding in the 2007 round, supported patient-centred research. This pattern of grant funding by the PdCCRS complements NHMRC funding across the continuum of cancer research (see figure below).
People affected by cancer (consumers) are integral to the PdCCRS. The NHMRC encourages consumer participation in health and medical research. Cancer Australia and its funding partners, ensure this through consumer input into the assessment of PdCCRS applications and by requiring researchers to include consumers in the design and conduct of research projects.
Through the PdCCRS, the NHMRC and Cancer Australia are working with other research funders to help coordinate the national investment in cancer research. This collaborative approach helps to harmonise and add value to cancer research funding in Australia.
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Funding by NHMRC to cancer 10 research projects and research programs in 2003 to 2005 and Applications to Round 1 of the Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme ranked by combined weighted NHMRC and Additional Questions scores, and funded in Round 1 |
National Health and Medical Research Council
Established in 1936, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is Australia’s leading funding body for health and medical research. Funded by the Australian government, the NHMRC aims to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians and people around the world, now and in the future.
NHMRC has provided over $705m for cancer research since 2000, including $134m in 2008. This reflects the NHMRC’s Strategic Plan 2007 - 2009, which identifies cancer and cancer prevention as one of the 12 national priority health issues.
NHMRC cancer research funding covers the full range of health and medical research activities including basic science, clinical medicine and science, health service research, preventative medicine and public health.
This wide ranging and long term commitment to cancer research has resulted in a many significant projects that have, or have the potential to, improve the quality of life for all Australians. These include the development of the:
- Gardasil vaccine, to help protect young women against cervical cancer
- Sydney Cancer Centre, and other comprehensive care centres around Australia
- Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, integrating clinical care with research, teaching and community outreach.
- A $5.5m study into the causes and behaviours of oesophageal and ovarian cancer.
Cancer Australia
Established in 2006, Cancer Australia is the Australian Government’s cancer agency and is charged with:
- providing national leadership and taking action to promote consistency in national cancer control
- adding value to the work of Australia’s cancer control community
- managing specific programs under the Australian Government’s National Cancer Plan
- and managing the work of the National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers.
In addition to developing the Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme, Cancer Australia has:
- Provided ongoing support for Australia’s 10 existing multi-site, collaborative national cancer clinical trials groups to build their capacity to undertake cancer clinical trials
- Developed EdCan, a national framework and training package for cancer nurses, in recognition of the need for people diagnosed with cancer to receive specialised cancer care.
- Developed the Cancer Service Networks National Demonstration Program (CanNET), to better link regional and metropolitan cancer services and improve access to quality, clinically-effective cancer services throughout Australia.
