Background
The Ireland-Northern Ireland-NCI Cancer Consortium formed in 1999 between the governments of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the US. Its purpose is to reduce cancer incidence and mortality -as well as to help those living with and beyond cancer across the island of Ireland - by encouraging cross-border and transatlantic partnerships in cancer research and control.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) underpinning this consortium lapsed in 2016.
Details of Synergy support
In 2015, a report from InterTradeIreland on all-island sectoral ecosystems identified opportunities to increase all-island cancer trial co-ordination. It was deemed that the island was not reaching its potential for clinical trials and a co-ordination network could reduce the fragmentation (of trials) and offer recruitment at a more efficient scale by operating all-island trials.
As part of InterTradeIreland’s remit to catalyse collaboration within the Pharma and BioTech ecosystems, InterTradeIreland facilitated efforts between the Northern Ireland Cancer Trials Network (NICTN) and Cancer Trials Ireland (CTI), to explore the potential and expansion of cross-border cancer clinical trials and translational research studies.
The network expanded to include the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Departments of Health (RoI & NI) as well as a number of universities and R&D groups.
Synergy project outcomes
- In March 2021, InterTradeIreland facilitated the signing of an updated memorandum of understanding (MoU) by Minister Stephen Donnelly TD, Department of Health RoI, Minister Robin Swann MLA, Department of Health NI and Dr Ned Sharpless, Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), US.
- Next steps include the formation of an implementation group with senior stakeholders from the departments of health and NCI to ensure the delivery of MoU outputs. It will play a key role in progressing collaboration in cancer care, treatment and trials.