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CANCER RESEARCH CENTRE BEGINS OPERATIONS IN EASTERN FRANCE

August 15, 2005

The Cancer Research for Eastern France centre, which incorporates France's Lyon, Auvergne and Rhone-Alpes regions, has begun operations. The facility is one of seven centres of excellence in clinical research (Cancéropôles) that the government plans to set up across the country. The research centre will gain EUR50mn (US$61.92mn) of funding in the period 2003-05 and includes four university hospitals, an oncology institute as well as other organisations involved in cancer treatment.

In 2003, President Jacques Chirac announced that the fight against cancer would be one of the priorities for his term in office. To this end, a national 'Cancer Plan' was launched with an investment of EUR640mn over five years. Clinical research was highlighted as a key part of the scheme with the aim of eventually including 10% of patients at large regional hospitals, and 5% at smaller institutions, in clinical trials. In addition, the government planned the creation of Cancéropôles, where leading groups of hospitals in a region are bought together to collaborate and develop new treatments. In 2004, the government set up a National Cancer Institute with an annual budget of EUR90mn (US$111.45mn) to help implement the 'Cancer Plan' and co-ordinate the activities of the Cancéropôles.