Cancer research in Portugal needs to benefit patients and clinical trials depend heavily on the interests of pharmaceutical companies, warns a study published Tuesday, which advocates the creation of specific cancer centers.
The national cancer research system is expanding and is capable of producing excellent and competitive research at a European level. However the the knowledge produced still lacks consolidation and effective translation for the benefit of the patient or society”, says the study promoted by the Portuguese Association for Cancer Research (ASPIC).
In 2020, Portugal represented more than 60 thousand new cases Y about 30 thousand deaths of cancer and, in recent decades, the incidence has increased in the countryfollowing the trend of other European countries, adds the document.
According to the study that portrays the last ten years of biomedical cancer research in Portugal, despite the fact that the number of clinical trials has increased significantly in the last decade, and the data, “per capita”, are similar to those registered in Germany , the country still “presents an underdeveloped ecosystem” in this area.
The clinical trials that do exist rely heavily on private support, which implies a profile more aligned with the interests of the pharmaceutical industry (for example, dedicated to the approval of specific drugs), and potentially less aligned with the specific clinical needs of the industry. country or each hospital center involved in the studies”, warns ASPIC.
This means that Portuguese clinical centers are mainly involved in large multinational trials, says the association, adding that cancer research published by national teams “is not cited in clinical guidelines as frequently as that of other systems.”
As a whole, the information available suggests that national oncology research is not having a great impact on clinical practice”, warns the first study of its kind carried out in Portugal.
As for how that research results in innovative technologies or practices, the “the system has few positive indicators”The document also points out, which found that the number of biomedical patents registered and approved at the European level is “still quite low”.
As for the capacity of attracting European funding, the study advances that the Portuguese system “still presents many difficulties”taking into account that “very few Portuguese private companies can obtain EU funding for innovation development using SME instruments”.
These data point, once again, to an innovation system that is not well developed,” says ASPIC, noting, however, that several recent initiatives are focusing on developing the country’s capacity to transfer knowledge in the biomedical domain and improve patient care.
This is the case of the Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB) or the Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), according to the study.
Geographically and institutions that conduct cancer research, Porto stands outwith the University of Porto, Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences and IPO Porto.
It is followed by Lisbon, with a larger network of institutions, and then Coimbra and the Minho region, with “a very important recent growth”, indicates the ASPIC document.
In the more clinical aspect of research, the main national hospitals and oncology institutes (IPOs) have “fundamental role”The study also adds, which states that the country has a set of centers that, despite not being specialized in cancer research, “contribute a lot to the Portuguese ecosystem and some are very competitive in European competitions”, as is the case of the Institute of Molecular Medicine (iMM) and the Champalimaud Centers.
The biomedical research system in Portugal is clearly expanding, including cancer research which, despite still representing only 10% of national biomedical research, has also increased significantly in the last decade. Proof of this is that bibliometric production, per capita, is similar to systems such as those of France, Spain and Germany”, underlines the study.
Based on the main conclusions of this work, ASPIC proposes measures that it intends to “serve as a basis for discussion with the relevant entities with decision-making power” to improve the national cancer research strategy.
According to the association, these measures include the creation of centers specifically dedicated to cancer research, with sustainable financing, including academic centers, clinical centers and industry.
This action can be achieved through the structuring of existing institutions and resources, considering the possibility of establishing Cancer Research Nuclei”, says the study.
Also, investment in instruments, infrastructure and human resources must be strengtheneddedicated to promoting the transfer of basic research towards “approaches that generate innovative products with clinical impact”, says ASPIC.
With the completion of this study, which had the support of the “la Caixa” Foundation, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Novartis, the association intended to “initiate debates among all interested parties and identify strengths and levers to position Portugal as a voice strong in cancer. research” worldwide.
Source: Observadora
