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For every dollar the federal government spends on research, a nickel goes to cancer research, according to a new study.
Ottawa invested $3.764-billion in science and technology research in 2006, of which $212.3-million went to cancer research, a new analysis by the Canadian Cancer Research Alliance has found.
But the report leaves a question unanswered: Is five cents on the dollar enough?
"There's no simple answer to that question," Pierre Chartrand, vice-president of research at the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, said in an interview. "What I can say is that when you consider the impact of cancer - the mortality, morbidity, economic impact - it's a good investment."
In 2008, an estimated 168,400 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer, and 73,800 will die from the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute of Canada.
"Research is our best hope against cancer," Dr. Chartrand said.
The CIHR, which receives its money from the federal government, is far and away the biggest funder of cancer research at about $122-million annually.
Elizabeth Eisenhauer, chairwoman of the CCRA, was equally diplomatic in her response to the question.
"I'm not sure you can say what the right amount is, but what we do know is that there is some really worthy, promising research that's not being funded right now because funds are limited," she said.
Dr. Eisenhauer said that in the United States about $10 per capita is spent on cancer research, while, according to the new report, Canada spends at about half that rate.
She also noted that a number of international studies have shown Canada gets the best return, compared to other countries, out of its investment in cancer research. "So imagine the impact if a little more was invested."
According to the 60-page report, Cancer Research Investment in Canada 2006, a total of $390-million is invested annually in cancer research.
That means that charitable groups, along with provincial funding agencies, contribute almost as much as the federal government.
The Canadian Cancer Society was identified as the single largest funder of cancer research after the CIHR, with an investment of $44.7-million in 2006, followed by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (a federally-funded body, $32.2-million), The Terry Fox Foundation ($19.1-million), Ontario Institute for Cancer Research ($13.3-million), and Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec ($10.3-million).
The CCRA tried, for the first time, to identify more precisely how cancer research dollars are being spent. It looked at five different categories of investment:
Operating grants that support all the direct costs involved in conducting research accounted for $209-million of the cancer research investment in 2006;
Equipment/infrastructure grants accounted for $116-million;
Career awards, which included salary awards and research chairs totalled $37-million;
Trainee awards, such as post-doctoral fellowships, accounted for $26-million in spending;
Miscellaneous support grants added roughly to $2-million.
The report also examined what sort of cancers - there are approximately 200 - are getting the most funding. It found that just over half the research was applicable to all sorts of cancers, but that 70 per cent of site-specific research was focused on six high-profile cancers: breast, $48.4-million; leukemia, $23.5-million; prostate, $16.8-million; colorectal, $14-million; brain, $13.1-million; and lung, $12.4-million.
Dr. Eisenhauer said that while this information may seem technical in nature, it is important to do these calculations and publish them for public scrutiny.
"It is essential to be accountable," she said, adding that the report "allows us to know where we're spending money now and, more importantly, to help us plan where we're going."
Dr. Chartrand echoed those comments, saying that with limited research funds it is essential that there be no overlap, and that researchers collaborate and work in multidisciplinary teams.
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Funding breakdown
Distribution of 2006 federal government investment in cancer research by organization/program ($-millions)
Canada Institutes of Health Research: $121.8
Canada Foundation for Innovation: $32.2
Indirect Costs Program: $22.7
Canada Research Chairs Program: $17.0
Genome Canada: $6.7
Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council: $4.8
National Research Council: $3.3
Public Health Agency of Canada: $2.9
Networks of Centres of Excellence: $0.6
Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council: $0.5
SOURCE: THE CANADIAN CANCER RESEARCH ALLIANCE, PHOTO: ISTOCK
