CALGARY (April 20, 2006) - Health Minister Tony Clement, accompanied by Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), announced today the recipients from across Canada of 793 health research grants worth over $273 million. The Minister made the announcement at the University of Calgary, where leading health research is being supported by the Government of Canada.
"Canadians across the country want to know that they and their loved ones will have access to quality care when they need it," said Minister Clement. "The health research projects being announced today will give us the evidence we need to help solve the wait times issues we confront and help us ensure our health care system operates effectively and efficiently."
The 793 research projects funded across Canada underwent a rigorous peer-review process before being approved and exemplify CIHR's comprehensive, problem-based approach to funding excellence in health research. The funded research projects will be carried out over periods of one to five years and include the following:
Dr. Amardeep Thind (University of Western Ontario) will examine how long patients in southwestern Ontario have to wait to see a specialist, a key piece of the wait-times puzzle;
Dr. Bin Hu (University of Calgary) will lead a team studying the brain networks that help people with Parkinson's react to music, potentially leading to new methods of physical rehabilitation;
Dr. Margaret Penning (University of Victoria) will examine the impact of changes in the health care system on cancer diagnosis, treatment and care;
Dr. Rhonda Rosychuk (University of Alberta) will examine visits to Alberta emergency departments for respiratory ailments such as asthma, as a surveillance tool for identifying regions of high need for services;
Dr. Ashok Malla (McGill University) will evaluate a way to lessen the wait for treatment for first-episodes of psychotic disorders; and
Dr. Elizabeth McGibbon (St. Francis Xavier University) will address inequities in access to health services among rural Aboriginal and Black Canadians.
"The prevention, eradication and treatment of disease and the building of an affordable but effective, innovative and publicly funded health care system all requires research, " said Dr. Bernstein. "CIHR-funded health researchers not only create world-class knowledge that is being put to use right now, across all sectors of society, but their work also contributes to strengthening the research and training environment for young Canadians in all regions of the country."
Out of the 793 research projects announced, 90 will be conducted in the province of Alberta, with a total value of $29.4 million. Minister Clement highlighted three Alberta researchers whose work exemplifies CIHR's comprehensive, problem-based approach to funding excellence in health research.
They are:
Dr. Sumit Majumdar (University of Alberta) will work with emergency departments to increase rates of testing and treatment for osteoporosis among seniors;
Dr. William Ghali (University of Calgary) will examine best practices in reporting on health care performance and quality; and
Dr. Olga Kovalchuk (University of Lethbridge) will study new ways to improve radiation treatment for cancer.
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's agency for health research. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to catalyze 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 close to 10,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada. www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca
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Grant Allocations - NationalGrant Allocations - AlbertaHighlighted Projects Backgrounder - NationalHighlighted Projects Backgrounder - Alberta
Further information:Eric Waddell, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Tony Clement, (613) 957-0200Marie-France Poirier, CIHR Media Relations, (613) 447-4794
