Health ministers sign all-Ireland cancer treatment deal
An all-Ireland agreement designed to prevent more forms of cancer was signed today.
Health ministers from both sides of the border met in Belfast to agree fresh measures to diagnose the deadly diseases.
The administrations have pledged to enhance cancer research, care and treatment as part of their Cancer Consortium with experts in the US.
Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney, said: "The Irish Government is fully committed to building on this model to further develop North/South co-operation.
"Together we have achieved real benefits for patients in developing a clinical trial network to facilitate early access to innovative therapies, a telesynergy network of communication and a professional education and training programme to improve prevention, research and treatment of cancers."
The governments are working with the NCI, a world leader in cancer care, to help patients access innovative treatment and undergo cutting edge clinical trials.
Northern health minister Paul Goggins said: "The Cancer Consortium plays an important role in the development of research into the incidence and control of cancer in our society.
"Amongst the many successes of the consortium's work I want to acknowledge the value of the scholar exchange programme which enables key personnel working in cancer care and cancer research have to benefit from short-term exchanges with the National Cancer Institute in Washington."
Telesynergy is a method of sharing medical information.
The Consortium was established in 1999 enhancing infrastructure for cancer research and cancer care across Ireland.
Programmes set up include those aimed at prevention and early detection of cancer.
Dr John Neiderhuber, director of the NCI, said the venture was a model for international co-operation among the public health and scientific communities and praised legislation to ban smoking in both jurisdictions.
"Expansion of joint clinical research studies, improved access to cancer statistics and enhanced cancer registries, along with prevention-related workshops, conferences, and training, are paying real dividends," he added.
Sinn Féin health spokesperson, John O'Dowd, also welcomed the agreement.
"Sinn Féin has always been of the view that operating two separate healthcare systems on this island has led to inefficiencies of scale, needless duplication of some services, and difficulties in access to services particularly for people living in rural border areas," he said.
The duplication and inefficiency in these two systems wastes huge amounts of taxpayers' money that could be much better spent for the good of all.
"Radiation and oncology services are to be provided in four cities only: Belfast, Dublin, Cork and Galway.
"All-Ireland configuration could not only justify an oncology unit for the entire North West, serving both West Ulster and North Connacht and ignoring the border, it could also allow access to the Belfast unit for all those living closest to it."
