Three Japanese ministries will work jointly in the next fiscal year (from April 1) on cancer research and treatment. Cancer is the number one cause of death in Japan, responsible for approximately 360,000 deaths in 2011. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry; Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry; and the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry presently conduct cancer research independently, and their collaboration will improve research efficiency. The project will be funded ¥17.2 billion ($164 million) and focus on pancreatic, lung, brain, and childhood cancers. The health ministry will receive ¥8.7 billion to predict challenges in the project and conduct clinical trials. It will also assess safety and efficacy of treatments and review the work of the other ministries. The economy ministry will use its ¥2.6 billion to develop and improve equipment for diagnosis and treatment. The education ministry’s ¥5.9 billion will be used for drug discovery. Together, the ministries aim to take at least 10 new drugs to final clinical trials by 2020.

Source: Yomiuri Shimbun