BMJ  2004;328:49-50 (3 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7430.49-b

Letter

United Kingdom research governance strategy

Reforming clinical research and development in England

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—The National Cancer Research Institute does not set the research strategies of its partners, as Kerrison et al say.1 They also do not grasp its mission, which is to double the number of patients entering cancer clinical trials by 2005 (a target it has already surpassed).

They suggest that the formal research networks in cancer were set up as a result of the outcomes of the Pharmaceutical Industry Competitiveness Taskforce. The institute was created as a result of the high political profile after the publication of the EURO-CARE II data and the subsequent partnership with major governmental and nongovernmental cancer research funders. The taskforce's conclusions post-date establishment of the institute.

The suggestion that "the private sector will have an important role in identifying and implementing research priorities in other disease groups" seems misleading. The private sector, while bringing substantial and welcome funding to cancer research, does not set . . . [Full text of this article]

Richard Sullivan, head, clinical programmes

Cancer Research UK, London WC2A 3PX richard.sullivan@cancer.org.uk


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Relevant Article

United Kingdom research governance strategy
Susan Kerrison, Nick McNally, and Allyson M Pollock
BMJ 2003 327: 553-556. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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