Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Program

Overview

Australians diagnosed with rare and less common cancers face a significantly worse prognosis compared to those with more common cancers, driven by poor access to clinical trials and fewer approved therapies. The purpose of the Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Program is to build and maintain a collaborative, national network of cancer centres of excellence and leading research institutes to bring precision cancer medicine to Australians. Through this Program, genomics based clinical trials will be provided to thousands of Australians with rare, less common, and early-onset cancers who currently have little or no other treatment options. By uniting cancer centres in each state and territory, the Program will enable precision cancer medicine to be delivered to Australians within their home states, avoiding the need for extremely ill people to travel for treatment. The Program will aim to:• expand knowledge in the uses of molecular pathology and precision medicine • increase access to repurposed and new drugs and immunotherapies • create essential research infrastructure • centralise care to enable research into both biology and therapy • empower Australian clinical trials innovation and capacity-building • drive pharmaceutical and biotechnology engagement • provide government with real-world evidence on which to base decisions about the role of precision medicine in healthcare, and • grow the national health economy.The Program will be aligned with the broader work of the $500 million, ten year Genomics Health Futures Mission under the Medical Research Future Fund.