AIDIT (Advancing International Co-operation and Developing Infrastructure for 
Targeted Screening of Prostate Cancer in Men with Genetic Predisposition) is a 
project funded by the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Community which 
is endeavouring to facilitate co-operation between European countries in the 
field of cancer research. The project also aims to raise awareness of familial 
prostate cancer among health professionals and the public within the associated 
candidate countries (ACCs) and new member states of the European Union (EU). 
AIDIT will focus on linking clinical and research teams in the ACCs and new 
member states with the IMPACT Consortium (Identification of Men with a genetic 
predisposition to ProstAte Cancer: Targeted screening in BRCA1/2 mutation 
carriers and controls), an international team investigating screening and 
diagnosis for men with a genetic risk of prostate cancer predisposition genes 
BRCA1 or BRCA2). Cancer research has been targeted as a high priority for the 
European Community; however, research is most successful when centralised and 
well coordinated, avoiding the duplication and fragmentation associated with 
smaller, isolated studies. AIDIT will consolidate the current IMPACT consortium 
and allow research partners from across the world to benefit from shared 
knowledge and experience. To date, the AIDIT team has established a website to 
facilitate communication between project collaborators (www.impact-study.co.uk), 
has been represented at several international meetings and has facilitated a 
conference for the IMPACT study to bring together international research teams, 
clinicians and policy makers.