Industry, Government and Academia to hold first-ever National Clinical Trials Summit
OTTAWA, Sept. 15, 2011 /CNW/ - Canada's first-ever National Clinical Trials Summit is taking place today, gathering industry researchers and leading experts from academic healthcare organizations, academia and governments together with the shared goal of making Canada a global leader in attracting clinical trial investments.
The issues to be addressed by the Summit are urgent for the future of medical research and health innovation in Canada.
Vibrant clinical trial activity is an essential part of a modern health care system and knowledge economy by helping introduce the latest health care innovations to patients and anchoring research activities across Canada.
Between 2006 and 2010 Canada's clinical trials activity has declined by approximately 30%. The challenge is for Canada to regain its competitive edge by overcoming operational barriers and inefficiencies, and addressing the high costs of conducting clinical trials. Our global competitors, recognizing the value clinical trials bring to their economies, have adopted strategies to improve their offering to researcher and prospective investors. This comes at a cost not only to investment in Canada, but also to important opportunities to provide patients with the most advanced access to therapeutic options and opportunities.
The aim of the Summit is to find ways to re-establish and secure the human, social and financial benefits from clinical trials that Canada currently enjoys.
Organized by the Association of Canadian Academic Hospital Organizations (ACAHO), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D), with support from the Cameron Institute, the Summit brings together over 120 of Canada's leading experts from academic healthcare organizations and research, governments and the private sector. The goal is to come out of the day with an action plan that can help to restore the human, social and economic benefits of clinical trials to this country.
"Patients are at the center of health care - it's about people receiving the best health care based on the best science discoveries found in labs today" said Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of CIHR. "Our goal is to work collaboratively with governments, business, researchers and health care providers. Together, we can make Canada a world-leader in Clinical Trials and therefore offer Canadians the best health care in the world.
"The competition for global investment is fierce. In addition to a country's quality of market access and its intellectual property regime, funders also look at a slew of regulatory, administrative and infrastructure issues," said Russell Williams, President of Rx&D. "This Summit will examine how Canada can improve its environment to leverage our strengths and our talent to attract more clinical trials to this country."
"Making Canada a more attractive destination for clinical trials makes sense for patients and for our community," added Glenn Brimacombe, president of ACAHO. "Clinical trial investments not only help develop the medicines of tomorrow within Canada, they strengthen academic healthcare organization's abilities to use research in the delivery of the most advanced care to patients, help train our medical, health and research community and provide opportunity for our young people."
About Clinical Trials
Clinical Trials are at the nexus between science and practice. They reveal crucial information about the products they test. They are important to our understanding of diseases and represent the promise of curing or managing diseases in the future. They generate knowledge that is used in many different ways in both industry and patient care settings and offer patients and clinicians rare opportunities for new and advanced treatment. Once completed, data from clinical trials helps to market and monitor safe use of innovative medicines, devices and vaccines.
Clinical trials also generate substantial economic benefits for Canada. They attract world-leading clinicians and create high quality employment opportunities for thousands of highly qualified personnel. They generate important revenues for organizations and for the economy, a consideration which is intimately tied to the well-being of our society. In fact, close to 80% of the innovative pharmaceutical industry's $ 1.3 billion investment in Canada is invested in clinical trials conducted with Canadian healthcare institutions.
Canadian Clinical Trial Summit - Starting the Conversation
The one-day Summit will develop an Action Plan to establish a world-leading environment for clinical trials to the benefit of Canada's healthcare system and economy. If we can better leverage our current strengths and work collaboratively to eliminate barriers and raise our international profile, then Canada will be able to realize the important human, social and financial benefits that will flow from being a global leader in clinical trials.
The discussion document Canadian Clinical Trial Summit… Starting the Conversation can be found at www.canadapharma.org and www.acaho.org.
Summit Partners
CIHR
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's health research investment agency. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 14,100 health researchers and trainees across Canada. www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Rx&D
Rx&D is the association of leading research-based pharmaceutical companies dedicated to improving the health of all Canadians through the discovery and development of new medicines and vaccines. Our community represents over 15,000 men and women working for 50 member companies and is responsible for generating 60,000 jobs across Canada. Member companies come in all sizes and fund 27% of health science research & development in Canada.
ACAHO
ACAHO is the national voice of Canada's Research Hospitals, academic Regional Health Authorities and their Research Institutes. The collective Vision of these organizations is to advance patient care and the health & well-being of Canadians through research discovery and innovation. Our Mission is to create an environment in which research discovery, innovation and learning benefit patients, populations, health systems and the economy. The Association represents more than 40 organizations, with members ranging from single hospitals to multi-site regional facilities.
For further information:
Christine Choury
Media Relations (Rx&D)
Telephone: 613-236-0455
E-mail: cchoury@canadapharma.org
David Coulombe
Media Relations (CIHR)
Telephone: 613-941-4563
Tina Saryeddine, PhD, MHA, CHE
Association of Canadian Academic Healthcare Organizations (ACAHO)
Telephone: (613) 730-5818 ext. 324
E-mail: saryeddine@acaho.org