Welcoming a National Strategy and Record Investment in Medical Research

Today’s release of the National Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult (CAYA) Cancer Roadmap by the Australian Government is a major turning point for our community. Developed by Cancer Australia alongside the sector, the Roadmap outlines a unified national approach to three areas that matter most: supportive care, access to new technologies, and clinical trials.

As the Clinical Trials Group (CTG) for childhood and adolescent cancers in Australia and New Zealand, the framework reinforces our important everyday work of connecting Australian children and adolescents to national and international clinical trials, ensuring access to the latest therapies, regardless of their postcode.

Importantly, this high-level plan is backed by a substantial funding commitment. Alongside the Roadmap, the government launched its 10-year National Health and Medical Research Strategy, supported by a record investment in the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

A key part of this investment is a $210 million allocation for national research priorities, which includes establishing the new Australian Cancer Research Program. This program will deliver coordinated research specifically targeting childhood, adolescent and young adult cancers, alongside brain cancer and other low-survival cancers.

The package also includes $15.6 million to build the National One Stop Shop, a single platform designed to make finding and participating in clinical trials much easier for families and researchers. Combined with a new Precision Health Research Program to boost genomic healthcare, these investments align perfectly with the goals our network has championed for years.

While the Roadmap provides the strategic framework, the targeted federal funding means we can start seeing practical, long-term impacts on how care and research are delivered across Australia.

View the Cancer Australia Road Map here | View the announcement from the Minister for Health and Ageing here