RI-MUHC researchers will lead or co-lead multiple projects awarded a total of $55 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Montreal, January 19, 2023 - Randomized clinical trials (RCT) are studies that measure the safety and effectiveness of novel medical treatments or interventions. Essential to medical knowledge and patient care advancement, they allow the Canadian population access to new treatments. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted barriers to the timely and effective implementation of RCTs in Canada, revealing the necessity to modernize the way we design and conduct clinical trials.
A strong and creative leader in clinical research, the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) is committed to help overcome these barriers and boost the impact of clinical trials in Canada. As announced today by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), RI-MUHC researchers will lead or co-lead large-scale projects that will improve the development and conduct of clinical trials and expand access to experimental treatments for underrepresented communities. These projects will receive a total of $55 million from the CIHR Clinical Trials Fund.
CANTRAIN - a unique training initiative to improve clinical trials
The CANadian Consortium of Clinical Trial TRAINing (CANTRAIN) project, awarded $11.3 million dollars over three years, will adopt an equitable, diversified and inclusive approach to training the professionals who conduct clinical trials, through collaborations across Canada. Initiated by Dr. Jean Bourbeau, respirologist and director of the Centre for Innovative Medicine (CIM) at the RI-MUHC, Dr. Suzanne Morin, director of the Division of general internal medicine and scientist at the RI-MUHC, Dr. Kaberi Dasgupta, director of the Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE) at the RI-MUHC and Dr. Louise Pilote, deputy director of the RI-MUHC, the nine-province consortium will enable all stakeholders involved in clinical trials to work together more effectively and will fill the gap that presently exists across public institutions, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
"In order to proactively and efficiently lead impactful clinical trials, we need highly qualified personnel who are thoroughly trained to improve the design and execution of these trials," says Dr. Bourbeau, who is also a senior scientist in the Translational Research in Respiratory Diseases Program at the RI-MUHC and a professor in the Department of Medicine at McGill University. "Our goal with CANTRAIN is to harmonize and enhance training, mentoring and networking for postgraduate students in health sciences, clinical research professionals, trialists and coalition partners. We will promote adherence to standards as well as principles of continuous improvement through an accessible and innovative training and accreditation platform."
