cancer clinical trials unit unveiled in northern Sydney The NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant AO PSM officially opened an early phase clinical trials unit at Royal North Shore Hospital, extending access to the latest cancer therapies for patients across NSW and beyond. for NSLHD, marks an exciting development in cancer care for the district and NSW. It follows broad consultation with clinicians, researchers, pharmaceutical companies and the community.
NSLHD Chief Executive Anthony Schembri said the early phase unit will help progress vital cancer research and accelerate the development of improved treatments. “Our district has been at the forefront of research and clinical care for more than a century, dedicated to diagnosing, preventing and treating disease and improving community health,” he said. “This exciting new early phase clinical trials unit will build on that expertise, increasing our capacity to deliver the very latest therapies, and broadening our knowledge and experience in this rapidly changing field. “Thanks also to our clinicians, patients and the support of the NORTH Foundation for the ongoing support of our new Centre.” Dr Chant said the purpose-built unit will ensure our research and clinical care reflect the needs of our broader population. “This specialised facility will increasingly support people in rural, regional and Indigenous communities, ensuring that access to the best care and innovation is not limited by a patient’s postcode,” she said.
The early phase unit of the NORTH STAR Van Norton Poche Cancer Trials Centre is a dedicated facility to meet the needs of patients and their carers, while supporting the complex requirements of early phase trials. Currently, patients with lung and brain cancer are receiving treatment, while further trials will open for a broader range of cancers in the coming months. The unit was made possible following a transformative $20 million gift from the late Kay Van Norton Poche AO and her husband Greg Poche AO. The pair also donated $20 million to the leading Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Centre in New York to realise their vision of offering life-changing new treatments to a larger share of the community. Investigators from Royal North Shore Hospital and the cancer centre in New York are partnering on international clinical trials, giving patients in Australia access to the latest breakthrough medications, and providing crucial multi-centre data for the trials. The new unit, which is the first of its kind
NSLHD Chief Executive Anthony Schembri, Michel Guilbert, Dr Kerry Chant, Associate Professor Naomi Hammond and Professor Stephen Clarke ribbon cutting
NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 19| 4 OCTOBER 2024 NSLHD NEWS | ISSUE 12| 03 JULY 2026
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