(L-R) U of M Associate Vice-President (Partnerships) Jay Doering; MP Terry Duguid; Dr. Terry Klassen; Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Dean & Vice-Provost Brian Postl; Manitoba Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade Cliff Cullen; and President & CEO of the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba Lawrence Prout at the SPOR announcement on June 16, 2017.
Prescribing the right medicine for children
$8.4 million in new research funding for national partnerships
Today, the University of Manitoba announced more than $8.4 million in new research funding provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Research Manitoba, and the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba in partnership with other institutions across Canada.
Led by Dr. Terry Klassen in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba, the SPOR Network – Innovation in Pediatric Clinical Trials (IPCT) Project will use real patients under carefully controlled situations to measure how well a medication works and how safe it is. Knowledge gained from trials will help doctors choose which medicines to prescribe.
“I’m thrilled that the investment today from CIHR, Research Manitoba and Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba will contribute to better and safer treatments for children in the areas of gastroenteritis, bronchiolitis and pain management at emergency departments nationwide,” said Dr. Klassen. “I’m also very proud and excited that the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba will lead our collaborators across the country in this important research, using very innovative and cutting edge randomized controlled trial methodology.”
Dr. Terry Klassen leads tour after announcement.
Dr. Klassen’s project is funded as part of the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR). SPOR is a national initiative led by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). It is about ensuring that the right patient receives the right intervention at the right time. It is a pan-Canadian coalition of partners from the public and private sector – all dedicated to the integration of research into care.
“Our government is committed to encouraging SPOR networks by making certain that they receive the funding necessary to continue the important work they’re doing,” said Terry Duguid, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Status of Women. “These national collaborative research networks including researchers, patients, policy makers, academic health centres, and health charities, are vital to ensuring the translation of research findings into patient care and health care policy more quickly and efficiently – something that benefits all Canadians.”
“By working together and making joint investments in this type of important research we are helping our research institutions create innovative solutions that will help people across this province and beyond,” said Cliff Cullen, Manitoba’s Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade. “We are pleased to support the Innovation in Pediatric Clinical Trials Project. Thanks to everyone involved for your commitment to children’s health and making the clinical trials process easier, less expensive and more informative for health professionals on the front line.”
“All advances in health care come because of research,” stated Lawrence Prout, President & CEO, Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba. “Our donors put their confidence in our Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba with their initial seed money for this endeavor. We are excited that this collaborative work across Canada will not only save the lives of sick and injured here, but also around the world.”
“I congratulate Dr. Klassen and his research team on their success in receiving these funds,” said Digvir S. Jayas, Vice-President (Research and International) and Distinguished Professor at the University of Manitoba. “Their work on networking and collaborative research systems will greatly enhance our ability to provide the highest standards of care for Canadians.”
More information is available at the SPOR website.
The estimated total budget for Dr. Klassen’s project is $8.4 million, from nine funding partners:
Canadian Institutes of Health Research – $3,000,000
Research Manitoba – $600,000
Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba – $600,000
Women and Children’s Health Research Institute – $800,000
Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute – $600,000
Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute Inc. – $600,000
Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto) – $800,000
Department of Paediatrics, Western University – $804,000
CHU Sainte-Justine – $600,000
Research at the University of Manitoba is partially supported by funding from the Government of Canada Research Support Fund.