Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the Welsh Government's spend on brain cancer research in 2023-24?
Over the years, cancer has been the single biggest area of Welsh Government health research investment. Our investment includes the dedicated Wales Cancer Research Centre, the Wales Cancer Biobank and the Brain Repair and Intracranial Neurotherapeutics unit.
In 2024, we welcomed the announcement from Cancer Research Wales of its investment of up to £1m a year over the next five years in a Brain Tumour Research Initiative. It aims to establish Wales as a world-leader in brain tumour research by bringing together scientists, clinicians and neurosurgeons from across the region.
Health and Care Research Wales has an annual budget of £46m, of which £16m is distributed to NHS organisations, to enable the set up and delivery of research studies across a broad range of disease areas, including brain cancer. In 2023-24 there were seven brain cancer research studies which were open and recruiting participants. These range from trials looking at the causes of brain cancer to testing treatments.
Additionally, Health and Care Research Wales also co-funds the Cardiff Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre with Cancer Research UK, which enables patient access to early-stage clinical trials, as well as translation of scientific discoveries into new cancer treatments.