A world-leading clinical trial centre in Sydney will soon provide increased access to international cancer clinical trials, thanks to a $20 million donation to the NORTH Foundation from philanthropists Greg Poche AO and the late Kay Van Norton Poche AO.
The NORTH Sydney Trials and Research Van Norton Poche (NORTH S.T.A.R VNP) is a partnership between Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD) and world-renowned Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
NORTH S.T.A.R VNP will be located at the Sydney North Health Precinct, which includes Royal North Shore and North Shore Private hospitals, and will be available to all Australians, with regional NSW hospital partnerships also established.
The centre will also be used to attract the next generation of doctors, scientists and researchers to Australia and provide greater funding to discover cures through research and development.
Within months of the launch, the Centre will open four new studies including three clinical trials, providing access to new treatments for patients across metropolitan, regional and rural NSW.
Work will also begin on improving collaboration between hospitals, doctors and allied health professionals so every patient can participate in clinical trials, no matter where they live, with a focus on rural and regional residents and Aboriginal people and a vision to expand the number of clinical trials, sites and enrolments nationally.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Ryan Park:
"This global partnership will enhance treatment for NSW residents with cancer and position our hospitals as the centre of international collaboration between the brightest minds in the medical world.
"NSLHD has been at the forefront of research for more than a century, dedicated to diagnosing, preventing, and treating diseases to enhance community care.
“We thank Greg Poche AO and the late Kay Van Norton Poche AO for their immense generosity and belief in our expert team of healthcare professionals across NSW.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Medical Research, David Harris:
“We are excited by the launch of NORTH S.T.A.R VNP and the possibilities it brings for residents and their doctors throughout NSW.
“This collaboration will enhance access to landmark cancer trials, especially for people based in rural and regional NSW, and it will help ensure equal access to support and treatment for our Aboriginal people."
Quotes attributable to Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Dr Michael Holland:
"I am pleased to represent the Minns Labor Government today in front of hundreds of local, national and international colleagues in the medical field, where together we are bringing to life the vision of Kay and Greg to accelerate a cure for cancer.
“As a physician, I know that clinical trials are a powerful tool to bring hope to patients and their families, and at the same time, provide much-needed treatment to improve lives and cure illnesses."