OTTAWA (June 29, 2005) -- The Canadian SARS Research Consortium (CSRC) released their final report today. The report summarizes successes and lessons learned from their effort to coordinate the Canadian research response to the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak.
A framework for a Canadian Rapid Research Response, stresses the need for funding agencies, public and private sector organizations and researchers to coordinate and focus their efforts during a health crisis. It also recognizes the researchers who, as a result of CSRC support, made significant contributions to our understanding of SARS and generated knowledge which will help us in the event of another SARS outbreak.
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and its Institute of Infection and Immunity (III) coordinated the work of the CSRC, as part of a comprehensive three-part health research strategy on SARS. The CSRC was created in June 2003 to coordinate, promote and support Canadian research on SARS.
Organizations supporting the Consortium are: CIHR, Health Canada, Le fonds de recherche en santé du Québec, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, The Canadian Network for Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, Protein Engineering Network of Centres of Excellence, MITACS (The Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Sanofi Pasteur Limited, and The Canadian Lung Association. The Ontario Government through its Research and Development Challenge Fund also provided funding support.
Dr. Bhagirath Singh, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity and chair of the CSRC, is available to comment on the report and its significance. The report is available at http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/13533.html
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To schedule an interview, please contact Chantal Laflamme, CIHR Media Relations, (613) 941-4563.
