Networking Health Research in Britain: The Post-War Childhood Leukaemia Trials

Improvements in outcome of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in the UK – a success story of modern medicine through successive UKALL trials and international collaboration

“…We summarise the key developments in the present review, but we direct readers who would like to look at the history, politics and development of the trials in more detail to a fascinating account of UK ALL trials by the Centre for History in Public Health. 2 The era of chemotherapy was launched by the observation that temporary remissions in childhood ALL could be achieved by using the folic acid antagonist, 4-aminopteroylglutamic acid (aminopterin). 3 Highly significant UK contributions to this development were the studies of Lucy Wills showing that folic acid was the critical factor (the Wills' factor) responsible for the megaloblastosis seen in pregnancy.…”

“…The remarkable improvements were due to collaborative protocols using iterative changes in chemotherapy, strict adherence to randomisation and study schedules accompanied by better supportive care including availability of blood components, broad‐spectrum antibiotics, vaccinations and pneumocystis prophylaxis. We summarise the key developments in the present review, but we direct readers who would like to look at the history, politics and development of the trials in more detail to a fascinating account of UK ALL trials by the Centre for History in Public Health 2 …”

Review of periodical literature published in 2009

“…A new ideology emerged in the postwar world which stressed individual responsibility for health and this new ideology was backed by the media and techniques of mass persuasion. Moscucci et al. examine the treatment of childhood leukaemia, revealing a story more complex than the simple ‘heroic’ account that is often presented. Moreover, they also outline how the British model of medical research in this area differed from the American research effort.…”

‘Atlantic Crossings’ and Networks in Science and Medicine

“…This practice was institutionalized in other areas of science. When the Medical Research Council wanted to find out what the Americans were doing in the organization of randomized controlled trials for childhood leukaemia in the 1960s, they sent the distinguished haemaotologist Leslie Witts to the United States on a fact-finding tour to report back to his committee [5]. Being on the spot and making contacts personally was important.…”