Clinical trials to combat reproductive cancers

The Morrison Government is investing up to $15 million in targeted clinical trials to improve treatments and discover cures for reproductive and gynaecological cancers such as ovarian, cervical and fallopian cancer.

An estimated 6,454 Australian women will be diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer this year, and 19,871 women will live their lives with these devastating diseases.

The round will also call for trials into testicular cancer, the second most common cancer in young men (aged 18 to 39).

These cancers represent a significant burden of disease in the Australian population.

The funding, from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Rare Cancers, Rare Diseases and Unmet Need (RCRDUN) Clinical Trials Program, will support projects of up to three years to drive new ideas and make new discoveries to improve quality of life and survival rates for Australians with these cancers.

The RCRDUN program has a focus on under-researched health priorities and conditions where there are limited effective treatment options and a breakthrough is needed.

To date, the Government has invested $75 million in 48 research projects under the first three rounds of the RCRDUN Program.

Clinical trials are key to unlocking access to proven new drugs, devices, therapies and models of care. Furthermore this round has been targeted to specifically include reproductive cancers.

The Morrison Government recognises the importance of clinical trials and boosting Australia’s reputation as a global leader in medical research.

The $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund is the single largest boost in health and medical research funding in our nation’s history.

It includes a commitment of $614 million to support new clinical trial activity focusing on rare cancers, rare diseases and unmet medical need.

This grant round will open on 14 October 2019 and close on 14 February 2020.

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