Regional Victorians to participate in major study
World-class research investigating the effects of aspirin on reducing cancer rates will be undertaken in six regional areas across Victoria thanks to a $1.9 million Brumby government funding boost.
“The funding will be used to open ASPirin for Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial sites in Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong, Warrnambool, Traralgon and Shepparton,” said Victorian Health Minister, Daniel Andrews.
ASPREE is a major seven year study funded by the National Institute of Health looking into the potential of aspirin to provide longer and healthier lives for people.
A major component is the influence of aspirin on the incidence of cancer.
The trials followed the Government’s announcement to build a new $473 million Bendigo Hospital that would include improved cancer services for patients in the region, enabling an additional 400 patients a year to access an additional linear accelerator and radiotherapy bunker.
It will also include 18 additional oncology chairs for chemotherapy patients, which will more than triple the current number of chairs.
“As a result, the new Bendigo hospital will be able to treat more than 1,000 radiotherapy patients per year by 2016. This means more patients will be able to access care closer to home and their families,” said Member for Bendigo East, Jacinta Allan.
The funding will also go to training and employing up to four local key research staff to undertake ASPREE clinical trials and run the trial sites.
It will also help support local laboratories to collect, process and store blood from study participants and contribute to the Health Ageing Biobank.
“The Biobank, the first of its kind in the world for the elderly, will be a valuable resource in the search for new markers of disease risk and the exploration of new approaches to preventing diseases, such as cancer,” said Ms Allan.
In other research, Victorian residents who are living in retirement villages and interested in joining a Retirement Village Focus Group are being encouraged to contact the Victorian office of National Seniors Australia (NSA) .
The group will help NSA in Victoria to develop the main concerns and issues for discussions on retirement village living with Consumer Affairs Victoria and the Retirement Villages Association.
To register contact Margaret McMillan on (03) 9650 6144.
