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ICORG to broaden membership and executive while continuing to increase numbers of patients participating in oncology trials

28th July 2003: The Irish Clinical Oncology Research Group (ICORG), which continues to attract international research programmes to Ireland enabling Irish hospitals to participate in leading-edge clinical research, whilst ensuring that Irish patients get access to the very latest oncology treatments, has just issued a major constitutional change. This change will broaden the membership, which is currently only open to clinical specialists in the fields of medical, radiation and surgical oncology, and remit of ICORG considerably.

While it is believed patients should get the best care possible, health budgets are not limitless. by Kate O’ Flaherty

The Ten Biggest Challenges Facing Irish Clinical Oncology Research In 2003.
Brian Moulton, CEO, Irish Clinical Oncology Research Group1.

Competitive International Environment:

The single biggest fact that we all must take on board on this Island is that there are queues of developing countries, some our near neighbours who are doing all they can to encourage the Pharmaceutical industry to choose their hospitals etc to develop their new compounds.

The following proposed major changes to the ICORG constitution (marked in green) will be subject to a referendum, a process we hope to complete before the ICORG Annual General Meeting due to take place in July 2003.

Medicine Weekly, 30 October 2002

Consultant Medical Oncologist Dr John Crown has received a merit award from the European Society of Medical Oncology for his and the anglo-celtic group’s breast cancer research work, AC-01 (ICORG study 97-02).

HIGH-DOSAGE chemotherapy treatments are no more effective in treating breast cancer than conventional regimes, according to research by a leading Irish doctor.

ICORG holds successful lung, GI and breast research strategy meeting

The meeting took place on Saturday, 14th of September 2002 in the Marriott Druids Glen. Thirteen ICORG investigators participated and seven new study ideas were agreed by the end of the meeting.

As a result, ICORG plans to have new protocols in place for the treatment of advanced lung, early and advanced GI, oesophageal, first line metastatic breast and early HER2 negative breast in the coming months. These ideas were as a result of much discussion and input from all who attended and in the end were unanimously agreed upon.

In attendance were Dr John Armstrong, Dr John Crown, Dr Oscar Breathnach, Dr Eileen O’Reilly, Dr John McCaffrey, Dr Brian Cantwell, Dr John Kennedy, Dr Liam Grogan, Dr Kyran Bolger, Dr Paula Calvert, Dr Karen Duffy, Dr Paul Donnellan and Mr Tom Walsh.

ICORG anticipates holding a number of similar strategy meetings in other areas in the coming months.

The Irish Clinical Oncology Research Group (ICORG) has launched Ireland’s biggest ever phase II oncology research initiative. Three protocols have been developed by Irish investigators for the treatment of high-risk prostate cancer, and late-stage breast and lung cancer.

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

The Membership of ICORG has grown steadily since October 1996 when 32 attended the inaugural meeting.

ICORG can currently count amongst its members all radiation, clinical, medical, haematological, and paediatric oncologists on the Island of Ireland, and also the great majority of surgeons who treat cancer.

What is ICORG ? – Irish Clinical Oncology Research Group
BACKGROUND
The Irish Clinical Oncology Research Group was formed in October 1996, and consists of specialists working in the oncology field who have the common goal of increasing the level of clinical cancer research in Ireland, thereby maintaining and improving all forms of cancer treatment in Ireland. In June of 2000 following agreement with the Northern Ireland Clinical Trials Unit ICORG became an all Island entity. This has very significant repercussions in terms of the ability of this expanded group to obtain significant infrastructure funding under the terms of the tripartite All-Ireland agreement.