Cancer Trials Australia (CTA) announced today that South West Healthcare had signed an agreement to join CTA.

“Southwest Healthcare located at Warrnambool in Victoria services a large population over South West Victoria, covering 6 hospital campuses. The oncology unit has 3 oncologists and two research nurses providing the medical oncology services to patients. The staff wants to ensure that they optimise the access patients have to care and CTA provides an important avenue with over 150 clinical trials currently open to accrual. By joining CTA the oncology unit becomes part of a network which actively reviews the portfolio of trials thereby providing information an any trial that could be useful for their patients and offering referral opportunity,” said Marcus Clark, CEO. “Warrnambool has for many years had an involvement in clinical trials and thus brings their experience of regional healthcare to CTA.”

“Investigators at Warrnambool have been coordinating the clinical research program for many years and have coordinated with Barwon Health and also the cooperative clinical trial networks. We see a great opportunity to expand this by collaborating with other key centres to conduct more important clinical trials in Victoria, “said Dr Ian Collins, Director of Cancer Research

“CTA now has 19 active clinical sites to utilise in clinical trials and thus has access to significant number of patients to conduct multisite trials. With expertise to also conduct phase I studies including first in patient studies and major research institutes as members, the group has exceptional scientific and clinical resources and represents the largest cancer clinical trial network in Australia, outside the National Cooperative Groups,” said Professor Andrew Scott, Chairman of CTA.

“Our continued expansion program engages some of the world’s leading oncologists, and this partnership is very focused to ensure this position is maintained, and that cancer patients have optimum access to the best available treatments.”