Understanding Barriers to Clinical Cancer Research in the Asia-Pacific.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Clinical Research
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region faces a significant cancer burden.
• Disparities exist in clinical trial access for patients and research capacity among health care professionals (HCPs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess barriers to conducting clinical research for HCPs in the APAC region.
• To identify challenges affecting patient access to clinical trials.
• To inform strategies for improving research and trial engagement in APAC.

Main Methods:

• An online cross-sectional survey was distributed to oncology-related HCPs across the APAC.
• Survey data included demographics, research involvement, and attitudes.
• Respondents were analyzed based on country income levels (World Bank criteria).

Main Results:

• 300 responses were collected from 21 APAC countries and regions.
• Top barriers identified: competing demands (88.5%), lack of financial support (85.9%), patient health care access (75.3%), research infrastructure (72.2%), and staff expertise (68.1%).
• Significant differences in barriers were noted between high-income and lower-middle-income countries, particularly regarding financial support, infrastructure, expertise, and patient access.

Conclusions:

• Clinical research in APAC faces common and region-specific challenges.
• Targeted interventions are crucial to address identified barriers.
• Findings aim to guide future efforts to enhance clinical trial access and empower research in the APAC region.