ICORG Non-Members Newsletter:

The ICORG Autumn 2007 Newsletter is now available to Non-Members. To view please click below

ICORG Non-Members Newsletter

ICORG 05-01 PAD Abstract accepted by the Americal Society of Haematology:

We are proud to announce that an abstract for the ICORG PAD Mutiple Myeloma Study has been recently accepted by The American Society of Haematology (ASH) as a poster presentation. This abstract has been prepared by Prof T.C.M. Morris and will be discussed at The American Society of Haematology 49th Annual Meeting and Exposition that is being held from 8th -11th December 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia.

For more details on ASH: http://www.hematology.org/meetings/2007/index.cfm

ICORG Disease Specific SubGroup Meetings

ICORG DSSG Meeting will take place on the 30th November in the Fitzwilliam Hotel, St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2.

AGENDA

Dinner will be served after the meetings in the Citron Resturant, Fitzwilliam Hotel.

To confirm your attendance at this meeting please contact the ICORG office on 01 6677211 or email temp@icorg.ie

Deadline for submitting ASCO abstracts: January 8, 2008, at 11:59 PM (EST)

Submit an Abstract for the 2008 Annual Meeting

The online Abstract Submitter program is now accepting abstracts for the 2008 ASCO Annual Meeting, to be held May 30-June 3, 2008, in Chicago, Illinois.

ASCO encourages all members and other clinical oncologists who wish to present research at the Meeting to submit their abstracts no later than the deadline, January 8, 2008, at 11:59 PM (EST)

For more information on Submitting Abstracts, please click here

To Submit an Abstract for the 2008 ASCO Annual Meeting, please click here

To reserve housing for the 2008 ASCO Annual Meeting, please click here

Technical Resources Guide

Further to ICORG Translational Subgroup Meeting on the 21st September 2007, please find below the current draft of the Technical Resources Guide. The purpose of this document is to provide a detailed breakdown of the various technological resources available within Ireland that can be harnessed for translational research projects in cancer. Emphasis is placed here on specialised techniques and expertise at different institutions. It should be clear that this is not an exhaustive list of facilities available around the country, but merely a guide. We have mapped out the key contact points at each institute for each technology/facility.

Please note that this document is in development.

If you have any suggestions or additions to this document, please e-mail william.gallagher@ucd.ie.

Current draft of the Technical Resources Guide - ICORG DSSG Translational Group.

To view please click here

New cancer specialist centres named

A new plan, announce by the Health Service Executive, sees eight hospitals in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Galway becoming the major specialist cancer centres.

But it also involves the immediate closure of cancer services at 13 other hospitals around the country.

The new specialist centres in Dublin will be at Beaumont, the Mater, St James' and St Vincent's Hospitals.

The other centres will be located at Waterford Regional Hospital, Cork University Hospital, University College Hospital Galway and the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick.

A limited outreach service will be provided by University College Hospital Galway to patients in Letterkenny.

The centres where symptomatic breast services and surgery is being ended with immediate effect are at St Michael's and St Columcille's in Dublin, Naas General, Tullamore General, Mallow General, Louth County, Cavan General, Our Lady's in Navan, the Mid Western Regional in Nenagh, Ennis General, Roscommon County, Portiuncula in Galway and the Mercy Hospital in Cork.

The Irish Nurses Organisation has welcomed the announcement on cancer service development. It says that it hopes today's announcement will herald a new beginning for cancer services in Ireland.

Statement by the Minister for Health & Children Mary Harney, T.D. on Cancer Research

18 September 2007

Commenting on the publication today of the European Cancer Research Managers Forum Second European Survey the Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney T.D. said: “This report analyses how cancer research is funded and enables us to monitor our progress in cancer research funding in relation to our European counterparts.”

Of the 32 European countries surveyed, the report places Ireland in 9th place in terms of direct cancer research spend per capita.

Co-operation on cancer research continues in the context of the All Ireland-National Cancer Institute Cancer Consortium, particularly in the area of cancer clinical trials.

• Patients in Ireland are already benefiting from the development of a clinical trials network across 11 hospitals throughout the island.
• Between 2002 and 2008 the HRB will have invested more than €21m to support this initiative.
• Recent successes of the Irish Co-operative Oncology Research Group (ICORG), funded by the HRB include:
  • The number of staff involved in cancer clinical trials has risen from five when the initiative started to 105 today.
  • The group recruited the 2000th patient during 2006.

The group expects to recruit 600 patients in 2007 rising to 1000 per year by 2009
A new Memorandum of Understanding with an extended remit in terms of cancer control was signed by the Ireland and Northern Ireland Health Ministers in November 2006 at a conference in Belfast under the auspices of the Cancer Consortium. The agreement reaffirms the commitment of the governments of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United States of America to supporting the work of the Cancer Consortium.

The Minister recently established an Expert Working Group to develop proposals on a National Cancer Biobank under the auspices of the Consortium. The Group is expected to report early next year.

The Minister said: "cancer research in recent years has been transformed. It is only by focusing strategically on growing our cancer research capacity that we can position ourselves to reach the potential of the current era. I recognise that in order to attract and hold the brightest and best of our graduates in medical and scientific fields, we must provide access to the best possible research opportunities in Ireland. This will also help to protect the investments we have made in training people and in developing the infrastructure within which they currently work. I will continue to be committed to developing the infrastructure and attracting the people who can help to make Ireland a place of international renown for cancer research."

Re-launch of ICORG website

ICORG are pleased to announce the re-launch of the company's website (www.icorg.ie)

In addition to the existing sections, the updated website includes a patient focused area with information on current clinical trials available in Ireland.  The members’ area now includes information relating to all Disease Specific SubGroups, which allows members to view meeting dates, current group members and minutes of previous meetings.  Members will also be able to view an extensive list of all ICORG studies, from which protocols and Patient Information Leaflets may be downloaded directly.

ICORG 10th Anniversary Dinner

ICORG celebrates its 10th Anniversary Dinner which will be held on Friday 28th September 2007 at the Old Dining Hall, Trinity College Dublin. The dinner is formal and begins at 7:30pm sharp.  Tickets are €100 each and are available from the ICORG Office.

Pharmacovigilance

ICORG are pleased to announce the development of our dedicated Pharmacovigilance Unit as of May 1st 2007. At a time when drug safety concerns have become increasingly important in public health and modern clinical practice, the Pharmacovigilance Unit is designed to evaluate the ongoing safety of investigational drugs and also provide notification to all concerned members of any findings that could adversely affect the health of patients enrolled on ICORG studies. This is performed in accordance with the EU Directive 2001/20/EC and ICH-GCP guidelines and will continue to develop in response to the special needs of members.

Dublin, 09 July 2007

The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) welcomes the introduction of a standard HSE Clinical Trial Indemnity Form (HSE CTIF) for the conduct of clinical trials in Ireland. This will facilitate the effective and timely initiation of clinical trials and remove administrative barriers created by individual trial centres reviewing the same indemnity agreement for each and every single trial.

CIS Confirms Cover For All ICORG International Investigator Led Studies

The State Claims Agency have confirmed to all hospitals that CIS cover will extend to cover Investigators and Hospital enterprises from claims arising from design or protocol in relation to all ICORG conducted trials, where ICORG is listed as sponsor.  ICORG would like to extend its’ gratitude to the State Claims Agency for its’ ongoing, prompt and apt support.

We would like to welcome and introduce the newest members of ICORG’s central office team!

Edel Behan joined us in May 2007 as a Pharmacovigilance Associate to actively support our CRAs and Project Managers.

Marzena Wieczorkowska (CTA) joined us late July.  She is responsible for all daily general administrative tasks.