ACTION Centre to boost access to life-saving new therapies for children

• Queensland Children’s Hospital ACTION Centre officially launched.
• The dedicated statewide hub will increase the number and range of advanced therapy clinical trials available to Queensland children living with rare diseases and complex illnesses.
• The first stage of the Centre has been established with a $400,000 investment by the Children’s Hospital Foundation. 

Children living with rare diseases and complex illnesses will have better access to cutting-edge treatments thanks to a dedicated clinical trials centre of excellence at the Queensland Children’s Hospital.

Premier Steven Miles officially launched the Queensland Children’s Hospital ACTION (Advanced therapies and Clinical Trials InnovatiON) Centre today, wrapping up Clinical Trials Week at the hospital.

The ACTION Centre, established with a $400,000 investment by the Children’s Hospital Foundation, will give children living with rare diseases and complex illnesses safe and timely access to new and potentially life-changing treatments.

About 400,000 Australian children currently live with a rare disease. One-third of these children will not live to see their fifth birthday.

The Queensland Children’s Hospital ACTION Centre aims to significantly increase the number and range of clinical trials available to Queensland children and bring the latest advanced therapies to Queensland, as soon as they’re available.

Children’s Health Queensland will leverage its unique position as the State’s dedicated specialist paediatric healthcare service to be a national and international leader in the adoption of advanced and innovative therapies in clinical practice, and the creation of new research knowledge to support this emerging field.

Stage one of the ACTION Centre will build capacity and capability at the Queensland Children’s Hospital to support the delivery of advanced therapies and help attract global research partnerships to support the centre into the future. 

Rapidly evolving advanced therapies, such as gene therapy, cell therapy and tissue engineering, have the potential to provide cures or significantly improve the health of children with rare diseases and complex illnesses. 

Clinical trials of advanced therapies support the translation of research into new standards of care.

Some advanced therapy clinical trials are currently not available in Queensland, with families having to travel interstate or overseas to access these potentially life-saving treatments for their children.     

Quotes attributable to Premier Steven Miles

“My Government is committed to delivering world-class care and the latest cutting-edge treatments for young Queenslanders and their families. 

“Medicines and translational research are advancing at a rapid pace.

“Queensland Children’s Hospital is one of the top 10 in the world, which is what makes it so attractive for experts to come here and deliver cutting-edge and world-class treatments.

“The new ACTION Centre will enable the Queensland Children’s Hospital to accelerate key research programs and stay at the forefront of pioneering paediatric healthcare, nationally and internationally.

“I am really proud that the Queensland Children’s Hospital is investing in this innovative and promising area of healthcare today, so we can deliver a better tomorrow for some of the State’s sickest kids.” 

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Health, Mental Health, and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman:

“Investing in research to help our most vulnerable is crucial and will make a real and lasting difference to the care we can provide our next generation.

“We know how stressful it can be for parents to access treatment for their sick little ones and providing potentially life-saving care right on our doorstep will be a gamechanger.

“I am proud we are bringing together the brightest minds from across the globe to our new ACTION Centre, that will help shape the future of paediatric healthcare.”

Quotes attributable to Children’s Health Queensland Chief Executive Frank Tracey:

“Children’s Health Queensland’s unwavering focus on achieving the best possible health outcomes for Queensland children demands a commitment to innovation and translational research. 

“Advanced therapies, such as gene therapy and cell therapy, are transforming the way childhood genetic diseases are treated. They can correct or compensate for the underlying genetic abnormality causing a disease, or regenerate, repair or replace damaged cells or tissues in diseases such as cancer, spinal muscular atrophy and inherited retinal blindness.

“By partnering with advanced therapies and clinical trial leads from across Australia and the world, we will not only improve access to novel therapies, but also drive the rapid translation of research into life-changing treatments and further enhance the clinical expertise within the Queensland Children’s Hospital.”

Quotes attributable to Children’s Hospital Foundation Chief Executive Officer Lyndsey Rice:

“We are incredibly proud to be a founding partner of the Queensland Children’s Hospital ACTION Centre and to play a role in bringing advanced therapy clinical trials to the bedsides of Queensland children.

“Right now, families often face the tough decision between missing out on treatment or travelling interstate to access advanced therapies.

“Through our initial investment into the ACTION Centre, we can help fast-track potentially life-saving scientific discoveries within our home state and bring hope to families of children who currently live with a rare disease or complex illness.”

ENDS