Canada Builds Coordinating Center For Clinical Trials
The Office of the Minister of Health in Canada announced the initiation of the Canadian Clinical Trials Coordinating Centre (CCTCC), which aims to improve the coordination of clinical trial activities and streamline regulatory processes for companies and researchers alike.
Clinical trials remain a key element in Canada’s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR), a national coalition dedicated to uniting research and care practices. Aside from saving lives, clinical trials are also an important “economic engine” for Canada, said Rona Ambrose, Canada’s Minister of Health. Ambrose says that the new center will serve to attract more clinical trials to the country, in turn benefiting the economy and Canadian patients.
Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of Canadian Institutes of Health Research, said that clinical trials are the best method for garnering new information on beneficial treatment methods. “Many clinical trials are conducted to determine whether a new drug or device is safe for people to use. Trials are also used to compare existing treatments to determine which is more effective. In addition, they can teach us how best to use a treatment for a specific population, such as with children or the elderly. CIHR is pleased to support the CCTCC and its efforts to strengthen the clinical trials environment in Canada – a key element of the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research.”
The CCTCC is a collaborative effort of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D), and other organizations. “The innovative pharmaceutical industry plays a critical role in the discovery and development of medicines and vaccines that improve and saves human lives. It is our goal, through this partnership, to build Canada’s position as a leader in clinical research, to create jobs and increase research and development investments in Canada for the benefit of all Canadians,” said Russell Williams, President of Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies.
The new center will be located in Ottawa.