The UK government and private sector have launched a £400m partnership to boost brain tumour research and expand clinical trial access for life-saving treatments.
New £400m Partnership between Government and Industry to revolutionise Brain Tumour Research and Clinical Trials
The government and the private sector have launched a new partnership that will see £400m invested in the life sciences sector. The Brain Tumour Research (BTR) charity reports that The Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicine Pricing, Access and Growth (VPAG) Investment Programme will boost economic growth and competitiveness in the sector.
The collaboration will support faster access to cutting edge treatments, strengthen clinical trials, and improve UK medicine manufacturing, which will ultimately lead to better patient outcomes. The BTR explain that they will monitor the progress of the scheme carefully, because historically brain tumour research has been underfunded and neglected.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “This private investment is a significant vote of confidence in the UK and will fast-track the next generation of treatments to NHS patients. It will enhance the UK’s global competitiveness and transform the country into the epicentre of health research, supporting an NHS fit for the future.”
“By cutting waiting lists and fixing our NHS, we can make it an engine for growth and build the healthy society needed for a healthy economy.”
Since 1971, BTR explains that there has been an overall increase in survival of less than ten per cent for people with high grade brain tumours, which is less than the progress in survival rates for most other types of cancer. They point out that of £590m spent by the government on cancer research, only 1.9 per cent was spent in brain tumours.
However, the problem cannot simply be resolved by allocating more funding. Indeed, £40m was allocated to the sector in 2017, yet five years later, only £15m of this funding was spent. BTR have called for the government to work more closely with brain tumour researchers and charities to identify the best ways of allocating new funding.
The BTR also calls for researchers from other fields to take part in brain tumour research in order to deepen and broaden the field. For example, they suggest that early career researchers in fields such as oncology, neurology and neuroscience could direct their expertise towards cancer. They also call for more doctors to specialise in neurology.
A major barrier to more effective progress in brain tumour treatments is a lack of access to clinical trials. The new scheme will prioritise clinical trials and streamline the process, potentially leading to more frequent high-quality trials in the field.
The government press release confirms that 18 new clinical trial hubs will be set up across the UK to boost access and accelerate the research process.
Richard Torbett, ABPI Chief Executive, said: “The life science industry has the potential to deliver so much more for the UK – but to do this we need to fix the NHS, improve patient access to medicines and invest more in our critical science and regulatory infrastructure.”
“This world-first investment programme puts industry money behind the government’s vision to make better health and science a driver of economic growth.”
Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “We are determined that the most effective new treatments are made available to NHS patients by ensuring the UK is the best place to discover and deploy new medicines, from early research through clinical trials to manufacture.”
“Investing in cutting-edge medicines research both boosts our economic growth potential and the prospect of new treatments and technologies for modern patient care. Support for clinical trials is integral to both.”
Professor Lucy Chappell, DHSC Chief Scientific Adviser and CEO of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), said: “I am delighted that the Chief Scientific Advisers for Health across the UK are working closely together to bring potential new treatments from companies in the life sciences sector to patients.”
It is hoped that the VPAG will reinvigorate the field of brain tumour research, and also more broadly improve the development of cutting edge new medicines in the UK. This will help to transform the NHS into a health service fit for the challenges of the 21st century. It will also enable NHS patients to have faster access to potentially life-saving clinical trials.
If you would like some more information about brain tumour treatment, please contact Mr Andrew McAvoy of Amethyst Radiotherapy.
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