New state-wide Children’s and Adolescent/Young Adult Cancer Clinical Trials Unit

Associate Professor John Heath from the Royal Hobart Hospital is researching the development of a new Cancer Clinical Trials Unit.
Associate Professor John Heath from the Royal Hobart Hospital is researching the development of a new Cancer Clinical Trials Unit.

Recipient: Associate Professor John Heath
Institute: Royal Hobart Hospital
Funding: $308,517 July 2017 to December 2022

Establishing an evidence based clinical service and clinical trials program for Tasmanian children with cancer.

For many years, children and adolescents/young adults with cancer in the Apple Isle needed to travel interstate or overseas to take part in clinical trials resulting in months of being away from home, placing pressure on families and finances.


Behind the science: Associate Professor John Heath


This landmark funding allows for the services of a clinical trials co-ordinator (or research associate) who will work within the Tasmanian Health Service to facilitate the paediatric oncology clinical service and trials program.

Not only does the establishment of this program have the greatest opportunity to reduce illness-related morbidity and mortality for children with cancer living in the state, it will also enable successful benchmarking against other centres caring for children with cancer in Australia.