News Release

1999-30
February 22, 1999

Health Minister announces federal funding for national prostate cancer research and development of a centre for excellence in Vancouver

Vancouver - Health Minister Allan Rock today announced the federal government is contributing $15 million for prostate cancer research in Canada over the next five years. Mr. Rock made the announcement at the Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) where he also announced plans to develop a centre of excellence for prostate cancer research at VGH. Today's announcement complements the federal government's 1999 Budget commitment to health research.

"The Budget presented last week demonstrates this government's commitment to the health concerns of Canadians and to the long-term future of the health care system. Canadians depend on research into rapidly growing diseases like prostate cancer to understand both the disease, and its diagnosis and treatment," Mr. Rock said.

Prostate cancer kills 4,000 men every year and is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Canadian men. It is the second leading cause of cancer death among men after lung cancer.

Of the $15 million announced today, $5 million will be allocated to assist with the development of a centre of excellence at VGH. The centre will be a joint effort - led by the VGH with the BC Cancer Agency, and other related interests. The National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) will also assist the partners in developing the centre of excellence at VGH to ensure its work is consistent with a national strategy to combat prostate cancer. An additional $5 million will be made available once the centre is successfully established and peer review requirements have been realized.

The remaining $5 million will be allocated to the NCIC for national prostate cancer research efforts.

In addition to the $15 million announced today by Mr. Rock, the NCIC, with funds from the Canadian Cancer Society, will contribute another $2.5 million towards the Canadian prostate cancer research initiative. From this base, the NCIC will be seeking additional partners from the voluntary sector as well as the corporate community to further enhance this funding. Mr. Rock applauded the Canadian Cancer Society for their commitment, which brings the total of today's announcement to $17.5 million for prostate cancer research in Canada.

In 1997, the NCIC and the Terry Fox Foundation recognized the excellence of BC prostate cancer research by awarding the first ever Program Grant to study prostate cancer to BC scientists and researchers. The initiative announced today is also consistent with the recommendations of the National Forum on Prostate Cancer.

Mr. Rock added, "the initiative announced today builds on the impressive track record of these organizations and signals a coordinated TEAM BC approach to national health research which will complement the new Canadian Institutes for Health Research announced in last week's federal budget."

Mr. Rock was joined at the announcement by representatives of Vancouver General Hospital, BC Cancer Agency, National Cancer Institute of Canada and survivors of prostate cancer.

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