Yesterday (Wednesday 11th September), at Holyrood, the seat of Scottish Government, the Brain Tumour Research policy team met with Jenni Minto, the Minister for Public Health and Women's Health. Alongside representatives from the Scottish Government’s Cancer Policy team and the Chief Scientist’s Office, the meeting attendees were completed by Professor Steve Pollard, Group Leader at the Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, University of Edinburgh.
The packed agenda ranged from why brain tumours must be treated as a priority by Scottish Government, to how the Scottish Government should explore an academic partnership model to ensure long-term, sustainable funding for brain tumour research.
After the meeting Professor Pollard said: “Charities cannot underpin academic research on their own and I think that today’s meeting was a step forward as we seek further collaboration with the Government to expedite the development of new therapeutics.”
Thomas Brayford, our Policy and Public Affairs Manager, continued: “Today’s meeting was another step in our continuing conversations with health and science stakeholders at Holyrood and I am heartened by the tone of our discussions. We need more clinical trials and we need to build on the world-leading research, like Professor Pollard’s, already being conducted in Scotland. It is both a challenge and an opportunity for us to provide the suitable plans and projects for the Scottish Government to support us.”
At the end of the meeting Ms Minto agreed to open the inaugural meeting of the Cross Party Group (CPG) on Brain Tumours, which will be held on Tuesday 8th October. Brain Tumour Research is proud to be providing the secretariat for this CPG.
(Pictured left to right: Hugh Adams, our Head of Stakeholder Relations, Minister Jenni Minto, Professor Pollard, and Thomas Brayford)
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Published Thursday 12th September 2024.