A podcast about cancer clinical trials in Ireland and the things that impact them – funding, policy, ethics & regs, public & patient involvement.
Season 3
Episode 4
The Urgency of Clinical Trials and GDPR Delays
In this episode, we discuss the critical challenges facing cancer clinical trials in Ireland. Patient advocate and Chair of the Cancer Trials Ireland Patient Consultants Committee Patrick Kivlehan shares his personal experience of delays and highlights the real-life impact on patients, underscoring the need for systemic changes.
Expert guests Paul Egan, Senior Counsel and member of the Board of Cancer Trials Ireland and Rose Kidd, President of Global Operations Delivery at ICON, explore how excessive GDPR interpretations and bureaucratic hurdles slow trial openings, push research abroad, and ultimately cost lives. The episode calls for urgent reforms, including a ministerial order to streamline processes and prioritise the public interest in clinical research.
Episode 3
Increasing The Pace of Cancer Trials Access
In this episode, we discuss how Cancer Trials Ireland is streamlining processes to improve start-up times and enhance Ireland’s position in the EU for clinical trials. Guests Angela Clayton-Lea, Chief Operations Officer, and Olivia McLoughlin, Head of Clinical Operations, share insights on adopting a ‘Lean’ approach, upskilling staff to navigate strict regulations, and fostering efficiency. With a focus on leadership, innovation, and patient care, they outline the organisation’s vision to reach the top 10% in Europe for trial start-up times.
Episode 2
Changing The World From Ireland
Today we meet two important members of Cancer Trials Ireland who have travelled the world in their learning and research and are now applying that knowledge at home. We hear what triggered their interest in research and trials and what unique offerings Ireland has for fellow experts in the field.
Our guests are Professor Gerry Hanna recently joined as Vice Clinical Lead in Cancer Trials Ireland and is Chair of Clinical Oncology at Trinity College. Professor Michaela Higgins is a Consultant Medical Oncologist at St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin and a Clinical Professor at University College Dublin (UCD).
Episode 1
Making Cancer A Priority for The Next Government
Our guest, Averil Power, has been a voice for those affected by cancer previously as a politician and now as CEO of the Irish Cancer Society.
As the Irish general election approaches, a community of patients, advocates, researchers and experts are campaigning for better care for cancer patients. From patient support to finances and wellbeing, Irish patients deserve the same availability of care as any other country in Europe, including access to life-changing clinical trials. We also hear the positive stories of those who’ve been able to access trials and about incredible patient-led initiatives that are improving quality of life for those facing this illness.
Season 2
Episode 4
Learnings from NCI-Match
Peter J. O’Dwyer, MD, is a GI medical oncologist, Group Co-Chair of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, and professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Within ECOG-ACRIN, he co-chairs the landmark NCI-MATCH precision medicine cancer trial. In this episode Dr O’Dwyer updates us about the results of NCI-MATCH, what it has taught us about genomics and what it means for the future of cancer treatment.
Episode 3
Working with Cancer Trials Ireland
Interested in working for Cancer Trials Ireland? Our CEO, Eibhlín Mulroe, talks vision, values, and opportunities for present (and future!) staff members.
Episode 2
Molecular Tumour Board
In this episode we look at the Molecular Tumour Board – what it is, how it works, and why this can benefit patients.
Our guests are Dr Dearbhaile Collins, from Cork University Hospital, Tanya Knott (SJK Foundation) and Claire Bermingham of Cancer Trials Ireland
Episode 1
Pancreatic Cancer
In this episode we focus on pancreatic cancer, what it is, why it is so hard to treat and about some of the amazing research being conducted into fighting it.
Our guests are Dr Grainne O’Kane from St James Hospital and Frances Crowley who has been a huge influence on cancer fund-raising in memory of her late husband jockey Pat Smullen.
The Cancer Trials Ireland Podcast is part of the 2023 Just Ask campaign to promote public awareness and understanding of clinical trials and associated issues. Learn more about the campaign here. Just Ask 2023 is supported through unrestricted grants from:
Season 1
Episode 3
PPI from an Investigator’s Perspective
Eibhlín Mulroe talks to Prof Sean Dinneen, a Consultant Endocrinologist based in Galway & NUIG. They discuss Public & Patient Involvement. “(Patients) have been co-researchers, and co-investigators,” says Prof Dinneen. “They have been a huge part of what we have achieved over the years, and we have completed and published a pilot of a random control trial of that intervention… Recognising early on that we (healthcare professionals) were not going to crack this on our own is how I got involved in PPI and it has been one of the most rewarding things I have done.”
Episode 2
Pancreatic Cancer & Uses of the Pat Smullen Fund
Prof Austin Duffy explains the nature of pancreatic cancer and the particular challenges of treating it – and how a new study (PATCH) hopes to address some of these challenges, thanks to the Pat Smullen Fund. He is followed by Anna Shevlin of Cancer Trials Ireland, who outlines the other ways that the Pat Smullen Fund has contributed to pancreatic cancer studies.
NOTE: This episode was recorded on Oct 28th. Since that time, a study discussed in the podcast (Paricalcitol) was closed to recruitment following an interim statistical analysis.
Episode 1
The HSE National Framework for the Governance, Management and Support of Health Research
Dr Ana Terrés and Eibhlín Mulroe (CEO, Cancer Trials Ireland) have a conversation about health research in Ireland, beginning with the publication of a National Framework for Governance, Management and Support of Health Research. Along the way, Dr Terrés describes her own path into health research, and her current role, and what she does to de-stress (including inflatable paddle-boarding!)
The Cancer Trials Ireland Podcast is part of the 2021 Just Ask campaign to promote public awareness and understanding of clinical trials and associated issues. Learn more about the campaign here. Just Ask 2021 is supported through unrestricted grants from:
ABOUT CANCER TRIALS IRELAND
Cancer Trials Ireland sponsor and operate Cancer Clinical trials in Ireland and Europe. Our 50+ strong staff manage a portfolio of 100+ cancer studies. In the past 20 years almost 31,000 people have taken part in nearly 800 cancer clinical trials.
Our vision is to provide every cancer patient access to high-quality and potentially life-saving cancer trials and continue making Ireland a highly attractive location to open cancer trials.
The organization uniquely links all cancer treating specialists in the country and has over 500 members. We work with the foremost Medical, Surgical and Radiation Oncologists, as well as Haematologists and Research Specialists (Oncology Research Nurses, Translational Scientists, Data Managers, Pharmacists and staff) in Ireland. 98% of all cancer treating specialists in Ireland are members of Cancer Trials Ireland.
We are a not-for-profit registered charity.
We are partly funded by the Health Research Board (HRB), the Irish Cancer Society and St Lukes Institute for Cancer Research Cancer. We also receive greatly appreciated philanthropic donations and donations from members of the public. In addition we generate over half our income from the cancer trials services we provide to pharmaceutical companies and international research groups.
Since 2017, Cancer Trials Ireland has rolled out an annual campaign (Just Ask) to promote public awareness and understanding of clinical trials and associated issues. Just Ask 2021 is support through an unrestricted grants from AbbVie, Bayer, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer & Roche.
