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摘要

In our article we pointed out that delays involved in processing multiple ethics committee applications and their variable responses for multicentre studies could be responsible for cancer deaths in Australia. It was interesting to see the contrasting responses from colleagues involved in ethics committees. Dr Irvine agrees that State-based initiatives are unlikely to solve the problem and emphasizes the budget commitment of the federal government to solving it. Indeed on page 398 of the report, the federal government says it will provide funding for the National Health and Medical Research Council to help with this issue. Although encouraging, it would not be the first federal government commitment not to be honoured when made during an election year. In the meantime, diabolecals will be routinely observed. We thank Professor Irvine for his thoughtful and helpful remarks, and we share his high hopes of the very recent initiative by New South Wales Health (although it is perhaps rather soon to be talking of a 'new era').