United States Must Accelerate Translation of Research to Treatments, Report Says
The United States must accelerate the translation of cancer research into improvements in diagnosis and treatment of the disease, according to a report released on Monday by the President's Cancer Panel, the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports.
According to the report from the three-member panel -- which advises the president on cancer issues -- without reforms, "the national investment in cancer research will be tragically squandered, for discoveries that do not lead to improved patient outcomes are tantamount to no discovery at all" (Neergaard, AP/San Francisco Chronicle, 6/13). The report, titled "Translating Research Into Cancer Care: Delivering on the Promise," said the "culture, focus and infrastructure of the research and health care delivery enterprise are the root of many existing barriers to translation," adding, "These obstacles ... must be surmounted to ... prevent, control and cure cancers."
The report, which included 20 recommendations, said:
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NIH and other research sponsors should facilitate collaboration in large projects;
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CMS should consider the collection of cancer stage data, at least at the time of diagnosis;
- A task force of private, not-for-profit, academic and government stakeholders should address intellectual property and patent issues, as well as barriers that delay the translation of cancer research;
- The National Cancer Institute should increase funds for cancer research and translation of research; and
- Individuals and communities that participate in cancer research should have access to the results.