The Irish Cancer Society has called for an immediate boost to cancer services in Ireland, stating that the current support is lagging far behind, with only approximately 2-3% of cancer patients gaining from clinical trials. They highlighted that in Denmark, a country of similar population to Ireland, the number of cancer clinical trials initiated during the span of 2018 to 2020 outranked those in Ireland by threefold, as shown by preliminary findings of a clinical trials analysis.
The charity expressed concern over the government’s marginalisation of clinical trials, which, according to them, is one of many areas where Irish cancer patients are being failed. Their analysis of the national cancer strategy of Ireland has revealed an aim to provide 6% of cancer patients access to trials.
The Cancer Society drew attention to numerous further inadequacies in their pre-budget brief. They alerted that the cancer screening programme has not efficiently evolved, target wait times for cancer diagnosis are not being met, cancer surgeries suffer frequent postponements and radiotherapy services operate beneath their full potential. Compared to other European nations, the adoption of new medications is notably slower in Ireland.
Advocating the need for additional funding, they advised the government to allocate an extra €20 million for the national cancer strategy in the upcoming week’s budget to address present deficiencies in cancer research and services.
Averil Power, the Chief Executive of the society stressed that, sans clinical trials, patients are deprived of access to potentially more efficient treatments and to new medicines. This deficit also indicates lost opportunities for Ireland to acquire new medicines free of cost from the drug industry. She also pointed out that Irish researchers and doctors are missing crucial opportunities to participate in global studies, instrumental for discovering improved ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer.
Power reinforced that significant financial backing for the national cancer strategy is imperative if Ireland aspires to match the performance of better-established countries. She noted that the national cancer strategy has been short-funded by €180 million till now, resulting in cancer patients being kept waiting for crucial tests, treatments, clinical trials and necessary post-cancer support.