Research to develop new and improved treatments for cancer was given a further boost with the announcement of $1.9 million (�1.1 million) a year to fund fifteen international fellowships. UK Health Secretary John Reid and Francois d'Aubert, France's Research Minister, launched the international fellowships at the Entente Cordial Cancer Research Summit in London.

The initiative will enable researchers from the UK, France, the USA and Canada to spend time working in laboratories outside their home country and exchange ideas, techniques and therapies to promote the development of new and better treatments for cancer patients.

Health Secretary, John Reid said:

"Cancer remains a top priority for the Government and we are making real progress in fighting one of Britain's biggest killers-since 1997 death rates for under 75s have fallen by over 10%. This new funding will mean that our top scientists can share their expertise and knowledge with cancer specialists in France, US and Canada to develop new and better treatments and help save even more lives."

The Department of Health and L'Institut National du Cancer in France will each commit $404,000 (�225,000) a year to fund six UK/ French fellows. The Department of Health will commit a further $611,000 (�340,00) to fund six UK/USA fellows and three UK/Canadian fellows, with joint funding from the National Cancer Institute (USA) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Professor David Kerr, Director of the UK's National Translational Cancer Research Network (NTRAC) said:

"The launch of these Joint Research Fellowships in Translational Cancer Research show that our countries are united in our determination to tackle a disease that kills over 6.2 million people worldwide each year. I can think of no better way of celebrating the Entente Cordiale than with this initiative to boost translational cancer research. One of the aims of NTRAC is to provide a forum for global learning and to improve collaborations with other countries such as the rest of Europe, the USA and Canada. The joint fellowship scheme is one excellent way of meeting this aim."

Professor David Khayat, Director of l'INCa said:

"This is the first joint program signed by l'INCa - a new national institution created by [French] President Jacques Chirac to coordinate, evaluate, accredit and finance all aspects of an ambitious, patient-orientated cancer control program. It underlines our willingness to seek partnerships in Europe and beyond in the war on cancer. The fellowships are for young investigators, and this is especially important because so many hopes rest on the abilities of future generations to develop new concepts and ideas to fight cancer more efficiently."

The three year fellowships are due to start in the autumn of 2005.