The Future of Cancer Clinical Trials in Regional Victoria

Monday Lunch Livestream

With Associate Professor Ian Collins, Associate Professor Kate Burbury, Dr Craig Underhill and Anne Woollett

21 June 2021

In this special Monday Lunch Live, a diverse group of presenters driven by the disparity in cancer outcomes in regional Victoria discuss the collaborative clinical trials efforts underway - and the potential impact now and into the future.

The Regional Victorian Trials Alliance, Linkages, Special populations, Equity (ReViTALISE) Program was awarded Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) funding in October 2020, and is led by Dr Craig Underhill, Border Medical Oncology Research Unit and the Regional Trials Network Victoria.

The program involves eight clinical centres in regional Victoria and partners with Metropolitan specialists and academics to deliver projects specific to regional and rural health care needs.

Patients living with cancer in regional and rural Victoria can experience disadvantage including lower survival rates and barriers to clinical trial access compared to patients living in Melbourne.

Recent increased funding, focus and effective collaborations are generating more cancer clinical trials in regional Victoria. Innovations in teletrials and telehealth are contributing to greater localised opportunities. The win? Improved health outcomes for regional Victorians.

Presenters

VCCC Regional Program 1.0
Associate Professor Ian Collins, South West Health Care Oncology

Telehealth as an enabler of clinical trials
Associate Professor Kate Burbury, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Regional Trials Network and ReViTALISE
Dr Craig Underhill, Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre

Alfred Trial Hub, regional Victoria
Anne Woollett, Alfred Trial Hub, Alfred Health

Panellists:

• Donna Long, Regional Trials Network Manager
• Kathleen Wilkins, Regional Consumer Expert
• Dr Dayna Swiatek, Victorian Cancer Agency, Department of Health