Jane E. Brody's "The Road to Cancer Treatment Through Clinical Trials," featured in the New York Times today, is a fantastic quick read that highlights the achievements of clinical trials in the last several decades. She discusses the incredible progress that has been made, particularly for cancer affecting children. However, she also notes that while 80-90% of young patients participate in clinical trials, only about 5% of adult patients join a trial. This figure poses a serious problem for the scientists and doctors who are looking to improve treatments.
What the article does not discuss, because it is written for an American audience, is the serious lack of funding for clinical trials here in New Zealand. If we don't provide better funding for clinical trials, patients here will miss out on the opportunity to participate in this essential research.
To read the article, click here.
If you're moved to help us fund clinical trials, you can donate or reach out to us to help us fundraise or spread the word!