Make clinical trial participation part of standard care

Support clinical trial participation through out the health system especially for poorly survivable cancers, and rare disorders where current treatment options are limited. 

By funding the infastructure, personal and resources required for these trials, patients will have greater access to treatment options, while supporting progress in their disease area. 

To date, clinical trial participation has been considered a "cost" by DHBs - despite research showing that for every dollar invested they return $5.80 in economic and health benefits. A lack of resourcing and funding for nurses and tests associated with these trials has severely limited access in New Zealand - particularly outside of Auckland. Clinical trials give patients the possibility of recieving future standard of care, today.

For cancers with poor survival, and rare disorders which often have few and ineffective treatment options - this gives patients more and better treatment opportunities. In addition, hospitals that have strong clinical trial networks have improved outcomes for patients not on clinical trials due to the improved standard of care, knowledge and training these trials bring.

It is unacceptable that currently in NZ overworked medical specialists are having to do administrative tasks and data entry related to trials unpaid in their evenings and weekends if they want their patients to participate in trials. And trial centers are at risk of losing acreditation due to a lack of resourcing. We need to make clinical trial participation more accessible to patients.