The body tasked with coordinating cancer trials in this country has called for the establishment of a €1 million fund to enable cancer specialists to open more trials here.

Cancer Trials Ireland was established in 1996 and since then, more than 15,000 people have participated in over 350 cancer trials. Last year alone, 154 trials were taking place around the country, involving over 6,300 patients.

As part of its pre-Budget submission, Cancer Trials Ireland is calling for a €1 million fund to allow more trials to be opened. It is also calling for a fund of €1.4 million to be ring-fenced within the HSE for the development of the 14 cancer trial research centres that currently exist in hospitals nationwide.

This €1.4 million would be broken down as follows:
-A one-off €700,000 allocation to upgrade exisiting research facilities, some of which are currently housed in temporary buildings
-€700,000 towards staff costs.

The submission emphasises that investment in cancer trials will reduce the amount of money the HSE has to spend on cancer drugs.

"A recent independent report by DKM Economic Consultants shows that for every €1 the Exchequer invests in cancer trials, it saves more than €2 in cancer treatment costs. This year, cancer trials will save the HSE more than €6.5 million in cancer drugs costs alone," commented Cancer Trials Ireland CEO, Eibhlin Mulroe.

More investment will also provide people with access to treatments not normally available here, and attract more inward investment from international research organisations and pharmaceutical companies.

"In 2016, we will receive just over €3 million from the Exchequer and generate an additional €4.5 million from other sources. If we can get support for the initiatives in our submission, we can save the State more in drugs costs, give patients more options not available through any other avenue and further develop our trials infrastructure," Ms Mulroe explained.

Budget 2017 will be announced on October 11. Cancer Trials Ireland's submission can be viewed here