Clayton-Lea Angela, Flynn Calvin R, Hopkins Claire, O'Reilly Seamus
Cancer Trials Ireland, RCSI House, D02 H903 Dublin, Ireland.
Medical Oncology, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, T12 DFK4 Cork, Ireland.
Curr Oncol. 2025 Aug 8;32(8):446. doi: 10.3390/curroncol32080446.
Cancer clinical trials contribute significantly to healthcare-related greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the need to address sustainability in this area as the climate crisis intensifies. This study provides the first national assessment of sustainability awareness, attitudes, and practices within the Irish cancer clinical trials community. A 21-item cross-sectional survey was distributed to 613 cancer research professionals affiliated with Cancer Trials Ireland, including clinicians, research nurses, trial coordinators, patient advocates and industry staff, yielding a 20.6% response rate. Survey items assessed awareness of sustainability tools, perceived carbon contributors, training received, confidence in implementing green practices, and perceived barriers and enablers to sustainability. Awareness of existing carbon footprint tools was low, with only 21% familiar with the Sustainable Clinical Trials Group guidelines and fewer than 6% aware of the National Institute for Health and Care Research calculator. Despite limited training and low confidence in implementing carbon-reductive measures, 86% of respondents expressed willingness to engage with sustainability initiatives. Trial-related travel, sample kit waste, and trial set-up were perceived as the highest contributors to emissions, though perceptions did not always align with published data. Key barriers included lack of education, institutional support, and regulatory clarity, while financial incentives and training were identified as enablers. Coordinated, system-wide interventions are needed to embed sustainability into cancer clinical trial design, governance, and funding processes.
癌症临床试验对医疗保健相关的温室气体排放有重大影响，这凸显了随着气候危机加剧，在这一领域解决可持续性问题的必要性。本研究首次对爱尔兰癌症临床试验界的可持续性意识、态度和实践进行了全国性评估。一项包含21个项目的横断面调查被分发给了613名与爱尔兰癌症试验相关的癌症研究专业人员，包括临床医生、研究护士、试验协调员、患者权益倡导者和行业工作人员，回复率为20.6%。调查项目评估了对可持续性工具的认识、感知到的碳排放源、接受的培训、实施绿色实践的信心，以及对可持续性的感知障碍和推动因素。对现有碳足迹工具的认识较低，只有21%的人熟悉可持续临床试验小组指南，不到6%的人知道国家卫生与保健研究所计算器。尽管实施碳减排措施的培训有限且信心不足，但86%的受访者表示愿意参与可持续性倡议。与试验相关的旅行、样本试剂盒浪费和试验设置被认为是最高的排放源，尽管这些认知并不总是与已发表的数据一致。关键障碍包括缺乏教育、机构支持和监管清晰度，而财政激励和培训被确定为推动因素。需要进行协调一致的全系统干预，将可持续性纳入癌症临床试验设计、治理和资金流程。
