What is PaCCSC?
The Palliative Care Clinical Studies Collaborative (PaCCSC) is a national research network that aims to:
- Generate high quality research evidence to support the use of medicines and other interventions at the end of life to better manage or alleviate symptoms in patients such as: pain; confusion; breathlessness; appetite; and gastrointestinal problems including nausea; bowel obstruction; and constipation.
- Build capacity within the health workforce in the conduct of high quality clinical research in patients nearing the end of life and the translation of research results into clinical practice.
Why does PaCCSC exist?
Many medications and other interventions that are commonly used at the end of life to assist with managing or alleviating patients’ symptoms have little or no evidence to support their use. Pharmaceutical companies are generally not attracted to this area of clinical research because there are few, if any, commercial gains given that these medications are mostly off-patent. However, results from this area of clinical research have demonstrated benefits, can reduce harms and enable better use of scarce health resources. The role of PaCCSC is to engage in high quality research which will provide the evidence base to underpin end-of-life care.
Where is PaCCSC?
PaCCSC has members across Australia and from the international health professional community. PaCCSC has participating hospitals and health services in Australia where the benefits from the research can be applied directly to patients.
Further details about PaCCSC can be found at the PaCCSC website.
Last updated 22 January 2017