To ask the Minister of Health what research projects are currently being supported by his Department to develop or test early diagnostic tools for pancreatic cancer.

The Department funds, through the HSC Research and Development Division of the Public Health agency and other routes, a range of infrastructure which facilitates and supports cancer research. This includes the NI Cancer Trials Network (NICTN), the NI Biobank and the NI Cancer Registry.

The Department does not hold details of all of the research facilitated by funded infrastructure. A number of studies related to the treatment of pancreatic cancer are currently being supported, but we are not aware of any which are specifically focussed on the development or testing of early diagnostic tools at present.