Highlights of the Poster presented by the Cura Project Institute and LACOG at the XXIV SBOC Congress

Last November 16, during the XXIV Congress of the Brazilian Society of Clinical Oncology (SBOC), a Dr. Heloisa Resende, oncologist and President of the Scientific Committee of the Cura Project Institute, presented an innovative poster developed in partnership between Cura and LACOG — Latin America Cooperative Oncology Group.

Titled “Improving access to clinical cancer research in Brazil: recent advances and new opportunities. Expert opinions from the 4th CURA meeting, São Paulo, 2023", the research brought to light important insights from 16 experts.

The paper, in poster format, corresponds to 4th Care Meeting, which took place in June 2023 in São Paulo. At the time, different representatives of the system of clinical research participants, such as CONEP, Anvisa, researchers, the pharmaceutical industry and NGO leaders, discussed how we can improve both scientific studies in the country and patient access.

According to the poster, clinical research is the cornerstone of improvements in cancer treatment. However, it has been conducted predominantly in high-income countries, with few clinical trials available in Brazil and other low- and middle-income countries.

The experts highlighted important achievements, including the reduction of time in regulatory processes involving Anvisa and CONEP. In addition, they emphasized the development of staff training programs, the maintenance of the National Oncology Care Program (PRONON), and the creation of qualified centers in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil. These advances not only strengthen clinical research infrastructure, but are also important for the decentralization of these activities, expanding access across the country.

However, the event's debaters also highlighted the need to make Brazil more competitive in the clinical cancer research scenario. This requires an optimization of ongoing policies. In this context, there was a consensus among the participants about the importance of strategies that allow patients to obtain clear information about participating in clinical trials and programs aimed at doctors with the objective of achieving greater involvement of them, such as more time allocated by hospitals so that they can dedicate themselves more to research activities.

Accessible information is vital to involve patients and promote their active participation in this process. Experts emphasized that active and consistent reporting of ongoing initiatives can help to spread continuous advances, increasing Brazilian participation in clinical cancer research.

Dra. Heloisa Resende, author of the research, tells us more about the important poster selected for presentation at the SBOC Congress 2023.

What was the motivation for the 4th Cura Meetings to become a survey?

- The need to record that Brazil is making progress in research, for example, providing opportunities for meetings between various sectors of clinical research, through this meeting in São Paulo. Recording these advances is necessary for professionals from other countries, also involved in research, to see us with greater confidence and see us as partners in future projects.

What was the main data obtained with the research?

- Understand that the obstacles to greater access to research go far beyond regulatory barriers, that is, they are indeed a problem, but there are several other aspects to be addressed, involving the behavior of doctors and patients, difficulty in obtaining information, and greater need for the engagement of the entire society.

What are the solutions and paths taken to the challenges observed with the research?

- The path involves the involvement of all of us. In principle, each sector plays its role, with the common objective of increasing access to research. So NGOs need to promote more awareness campaigns for society, medical researchers need to be more engaged, the government needs to optimize regulatory process times, and the pharmaceutical industry must provide more opportunities for new centers in Brazil.

In addition to the presentation of the poster, on November 18, the President of the Cura Project Institute, Fernanda Schwyter, participated in the “Clinical Research” Module at the congress.

During his participation, whose theme was “How organized society works to encourage Clinical Research in Brazil”, valuable experiences related to the organization of the Cura Project Institute were presented, further enriching the debate about the challenges and opportunities in clinical cancer research in Brazil.

The 2023 SBOC Congress took place from November 16 to 18, in person, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The program was integrated into the 4th Brazilian Oncology Week, thus bringing together, in addition to clinical oncologists, oncologic surgeons, radiation oncologists, managers, researchers and many other professionals who form the country's large network of cancer care and care. The event is consolidated as a crucial space for the exchange of knowledge and strengthening the community involved in this vital field of medicine.

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