The Morrison Government and Movember Foundation are teaming up to combat prostate cancer by investing $12 million into ground-breaking new research aimed at reversing the significant number of deaths caused by the disease.
Prostate cancer is Australia’s second most deadly cancer, claiming the lives of around 3,500 men in 2018. It is a complex disease that also causes a range of health problems including bladder or bowel incontinence, sexual dysfunction and psychological trauma.
The funding will establish the Prostate Cancer Research Alliance, which will be comprised of research teams focused on conducting life-saving prostate cancer research.
The researchers will focus on two key areas:
- stop prostate cancer progressing to advanced, more deadly stages; and
- improve treatments and life expectancy for men with advanced prostate cancer.
The Alliance will significantly accelerate and expand the current research, and find better treatments and ultimately seek to find a cure for the many men fighting prostate cancer.
The research will benefit the more than 17,000 Australian men diagnosed with prostate cancer each year.
Similar research collaborations such as the UK’s Centres of Excellence for prostate cancer research, established by the Movember Foundation, have delivered new medications and treatments that have extended or improved the quality of life of thousands of patients.
The Government is committed to improving men’s health. Men experience worse longer-term health than women and die on average six years earlier.
The Morrison Government will provide $6 million over three years for the Prostate Cancer Research Alliance and this funding is being matched dollar for dollar by the Movember Foundation.
Submissions to establish the research teams will open in the coming months. Leading cancer research teams are encouraged to apply. Applications will be identified through an open, competitive, peer-reviewed national grants round.
The Prostate Cancer Research Alliance will be managed by the Movember Foundation in collaboration with Cancer Australia.
Since 2013, the Government has contributed over $41 million towards prostate focused research initiatives and combined under the National Health and Medical Research Council and Cancer Australia provided $49 million in research investment.
Only recently we boosted Medicare support for a new MRI scan for prostate cancer checks helping 26,000 men each year.
