Trust will work on strategy to slash cancer death rate

A trust has been set up to find ways to slash the rate of cancer deaths among New Zealanders.

The Cancer Control Trust will develop strategies for bringing together all cancer agencies to try to coordinate responsibilities and resources more effectively.

The formation of the trust comes a year after a Wellington workshop, involving more than 100 medical experts, consumer groups and health bureaucrats, unanimously supported a call for a national cancer control strategy.

It also follows recommendations by public health experts testifying at the Gisborne cervical cancer inquiry.

At the inquiry, Dr Brian Cox recommended that an agency with statutory responsibility be set up independent of Government health funders and policy makers.

It was hoped this agency would eventually be responsible for cancer screening programmes, their databases and the Cancer Registry.

It would also develop guidelines for improving cancer prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.

The Cancer Society strongly supported the recommendation and will finance the trust, with the Child Cancer Foundation.

Professor David Skegg, spokesman for the 1999 cancer workshop, said that the trust was a big step towards developing a more coordinated approach to the disease.

He did not want to predict whether the Gisborne team would recommend a national cancer control agency but said the trust would be an ideal foundation.