Directive has ‘chilling effect’ on cancer trials

APPLICATIONS to carry out potentially life-saving clinical trials have fallen dramatically since the introduction of a new EU Directive, a cancer research specialist claimed yesterday.

Dr John Crown, who has overseen a number of clinical oncology trials in St Vincent’s private hospital in Dublin, said the Clinical Trials Directive, introduced in February, was having a “chilling effect.”

“It’s a disaster. We have heard companies say they are less attracted to Ireland for the purpose of sponsoring trials because we do not have ethics committees in place.”