Thought leaders, experts, policymakers and patient advocates from the cancerA disease where abnormal cells split without control and spread to other nearby body tissue and/or organs. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream and lymph systems. community will be meeting at Parliament House this Wednesday to discuss the potential of genomic testing and precision oncologyThe study and treatment of tumours, cancers. in Australia.
Co-hosted by Rare Cancers Australia and Australian Genomics, the at-capacity policy roundtable is the first of a three-part series, which invites key stakeholders from across the cancer sector, including state/territory and federal government representatives, to explore the enablers and barriers to genomic-led cancer care for people diagnosed with cancer.
RCA CEO, Christine Cockburn, said that the Roundtable Series intends to bring together key players across the Australian genomic landscape to learn from each other and have a robust discussion about implementing genomic-led cancer care beyond research and into standard of care.
“We are at an important juncture for patients. Genomic testing is available, but not accessible to everyone. Personalised medicine is completely revolutionising survival and cancer care, but it isn’t equitably offered to all who might benefit,” Ms Cockburn stated.
“It is important that Australia is in lockstep with the best approaches. We need to do this now to ensure we have detailed and patient-focused strategies and frameworks at national and state levels that tackle inequity of access early and affordably.”
Australian Genomics Managing Director Tiffany Boughtwood said Australia had invested heavily in genomics research and enabling infrastructure.
“We now need to realise the full potential of these genomic technologies and implement comprehensive genomic testing for cancer care and control so that all Australians benefit,” she said.
The aim is for the roundtable series to inform the new national framework for genomics in cancer control, led by Cancer Australia, which recognises the specific needs of rare cancers and priority populations in making fully implemented genomic-led cancer care a priority.
Joining Christine Cockburn and Tiffany Boughtwood on the speaker lineup for the day is:
- Charlotte Noble, Patient advocate and rare cancer survivorNot a medical term. It means different things to different people. For some, being a survivor can start at the beginning of cancer or cancer treatment. Others may use this term after their treatment and follow-up has finished.;
- Associate Professor Vanessa Tyrrell, Program Director, Zero Childhood Cancer;
- Louise Lyons, Senior Manager, Strategy and Policy, Indigenous Genomics, Telethon Kids Institute.
Key Genomics Policy Roundtable Dates:
- Wednesday, 11 September 2024, Canberra, ‘The Australian genomic landscape and what we can learn from others’;
- Wednesday, 16 October 2024, Melbourne, ‘Practical considerations and next steps for implementing genomic-led cancer care in Australia’; and
- Friday, 8 November 2024, Sydney, ‘Policy and system change for equitable and sustainable genomic-led cancer care’
For further details and registration for the Melbourne and Sydney events, visit
www.rarecancers.org.au/page/188/policy-roundtable-series
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