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<p>Clinical trial recruitment is important to the United Kingdom economy, especially
in cancer research. For example, an independent report, commissioned by the National
Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network (CRN) and produced
by KPMG’s Economics team, provided an assessment of the economic impact of the NIHR
Clinical Research Network’s activities to support clinical research in the UK. The
report estimated the gross value added and employment in the UK from CRN supported
clinical research activity. It estimated that in the period April 2014 to March 2015
(financial year 2014/15) this activity generated a total of £2.4 billion gross value
added and almost 39,500 jobs. Studies on cancer comprise a major part of CRN activity.
A copy of <em>NIHR Clinical Research Network: Impact and Value Assessment</em> is
attached.</p><p>A growing proportion of cancer trials supported by the NIHR involve
molecular testing. One of the main purposes of the NIHR is to initiate studies speedily,
and deliver them to time and target. Therefore timely molecular testing is important.
This involves working with National Health Service pathology services to ensure that
all essential steps are in place to deliver research studies.</p><p>The Chief Scientific
Adviser has not made a specific assessment of the importance of molecular testing
to drive cancer trial treatment. If a clinical trial that is to be delivered by the
NIHR involves somatic gene testing that is not already in place, then the NHS will
set up this new somatic gene testing as part of the delivery of the trial. Thus it
is the nature of the research that drives clinical trial recruitment rather than the
nature of the somatic gene testing that is in place.</p>
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