Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to improve access to new drugs for brain tumour patients.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR invests in the research delivery workforce, the facilities, and the capacity to support clinical trials into all disease areas, including brain tumours. The NIHR Clinical Research Facilities and Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres support the delivery of early phase trials, and the NIHR Clinical Research Network and Patient Recruitment Centres support delivery and participation in later phase clinical trials.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations on whether all new medicines, including for brain tumours, should be routinely funded by the National Health Service based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. NICE is able to recommend medicines for use through the Cancer Drugs Fund, where there is too much uncertainty for NICE to recommend routine use. NICE works closely with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to ensure that its appraisal timelines are aligned with the regulatory process. NICE is currently evaluating a number of potential new medicines for brain tumours.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will increase the share of overall cancer research funding allocated to brain tumour research.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department invests over £1 billion per year in health research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £121.8 million in 2022/23.
The NIHR funds research in response to proposals received from scientists, rather than allocating funding to specific disease areas. It is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
Because of its importance, in May 2018 the Government announced £40 million for brain tumour research as part of the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM) through the NIHR. Since the 2018 announcement, the NIHR has committed £11.3 million across 16 projects. All applications that were considered to be of fundable quality, by scientific peer reviewers, have been funded. To increase the quality, diversity and number of brain cancer research proposals the NIHR is working with the TJBCM and the research community to develop research capacity in the brain cancer community.
There is still funding available from the original £40 million announced in 2018. We are committed to funding high-quality brain cancer research, and we expect to spend more as new research progresses.
Written Evidence Feb. 07 2024
Inquiry: Future cancerFound: go through a mandatory course on brain tumours.
Feb. 05 2024
Source Page: Unlocking the potential of quantum: £45 million investment to drive breakthroughs in brain scanners, navigation systems, and quantum computingFound: Unlocking the potential of quantum: £45 million investment to drive breakthroughs in brain scanners,
Oral Evidence Jan. 29 2024
Inquiry: Future cancerFound: example, we have made it possible for GPs to directly access CT scans of the body or MRI scans of the brain
Jan. 25 2024
Source Page: NICE annual report and accounts: 2022 to 2023Found: It can also cause damage to arteries in organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys and eyes.
Jan. 25 2024
Source Page: NICE annual report and accounts: 2022 to 2023Found: It can also cause damage to arteries in organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys and eyes.
Jan. 25 2024
Source Page: NICE annual report and accounts: 2022 to 2023Found: It can also cause damage to arteries in organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys and eyes.
Jan. 25 2024
Source Page: NICE annual report and accounts: 2022 to 2023Found: It can also cause damage to arteries in organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys and eyes.
Asked by: Sweeney, Paul (Scottish Labour - Glasgow)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how its NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care directorates decide how to allocate funds for research into specific cancers, such as brain tumours.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
Within the Scottish Government, funding of Health and Care Research comes under the remit of the Chief Scientist Office (CSO).
The CSO's Translational Clinical Studies (TCS) Committee and the Health Improvement, Protection and Services Research (HIPS) Committee each meet twice per year to consider funding applications. Details of the application process are published on the CSO website.
https://www.cso.scot.nhs.uk/grant-funding/response-mode-funding-schemes/
Research funding is not allocated to any particular condition. The TCS and HIPS committees receive applications from across the clinical spectrum. All applications go through a process of independent expert review to allow funding decisions to be made. Applications on brain tumours are welcomed and go through the independent review process outlined above.