Drive to get more people to sign up for cancer trials
Days after Alex’s diagnosis, consultant haematologist at Cork University Hospital Mary Cahill asked if he would take part in a clinical trial and he readily agreed.
Before the week was over, Alex, his wife Eleanor and four grown children knew a lot more about multiple myeloma — a cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow.
Alex, 69, from Ovens, Co Cork, did not have to think twice about taking part in a trial. As well as getting the best available treatment, he knew he would be helping others with the same condition.
He underwent a stem cell transplant in March 2016 and is now recovering at a steady pace.
“Eleanor took it very badly when I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and seeing her so upset was the hardest part,” he said. “We are married 44 years, and I hated seeing what she went through for me and the concern I was causing.”
Around 650 people with cancer join a cancer drug trial each year, and Cancer Trials Ireland want to double this to 1,300 over the next three years.
Today is International Clinical Trials Day and Cancer Trials Ireland is marking it with the launch of a new campaign — Just Ask Your Doctor.
Clinical lead with Cancer Trials Ireland and consultant oncologist at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Bryan Hennessy, said cancer trials help find treatments that stop people dying from cancer.
“It is often said that people on cancer trials achieve better outcomes and better survival because of access to these new treatments,” said Prof Hennessy, adding that an independent study conducted last year showed that cancer trials saved the HSE around €6.5m in cancer medication costs.
On International Clinical Trials Day we encourage people living with cancer to Just Ask Your Doctor for more information #Clinicaltrialsday pic.twitter.com/yOlLTGYn1b
— Janssen Ireland (@JanssenIE) May 19, 2017
“We want people diagnosed with cancer to talk to their oncologist about treatment options. Currently, 3% of people with cancer are in trials. Our goal is to double that to 6% by 2020.”
Prof Hennessy said they want the State to double annual funding from about €2.5m to €5m so more people could go on cancer trials. During the economic downturn, funding was cut by 20%.
Chief executive of Cancer Trials Ireland, Eibhlin Mulroe, said people living with cancer can visit cancertrials.ie where all of the trials currently under way in Ireland are listed.
Cancer Trials Ireland is supported by the Health Research Board and the Irish Cancer Society. Their campaign is part-funded by grants from pharmaceutical companies.
Huge thanks to our industry partners for supporting our Just Ask campaign @Merck @JanssenIE @Roche @BayerPharma @Novartis @merckgroup pic.twitter.com/N059vP8rJe
— CancerTrialsIreland 🌈 (@cancertrials_ie) May 19, 2017
