COVID-19 Network of Clinical Trials Networks receives additional $4M in federal funding

The COVID-19 Network of Clinical Trials Networks has received a $4M grant extension from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to continue strengthening Canada’s pandemic response and building capacity for durable post-pandemic pan-Canadian trial coordination and collaboration.

The network is led by the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group (CCCTG) under the direction of CCCTG Chair Dr. Rob Fowler, who is also project lead and a senior scientist and critical care physician at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. The COVID-19 Network of Clinical Trials Networks is supporting research networks through rapid dissemination of resources linked to harmonization, data sharing and performance across the spectrum of research connected to acute care, rehabilitation and recovery.

“COVID-19 has brought into sharp relief the role that research plays during an emerging pandemic, and the value of being ready in advance of the need,” said Dr. Rob Fowler. “The COVID-19 Network of Clinical Trials Networks is helping create the tools and capacity that Canada needs to be a leader in efficient, durable, and adaptive clinical trials.”

“This continued investment from CIHR represents another major step towards ensuring that we will be better prepared for the next public health emergency, and towards creating a true learning health care system,” added Dr. Kusum Menon, principal applicant and CCCTG vice chair.

Thanks to the extension of CIHR’s investment, the Network of Networks will:

• Continue to support critical research capacity among a national network of more than 60 sites
• Expand a data collection and harmonization strategy that enables automated data collection within hospitals, and health data integration by linking study and trial data to existing population health sources with our Health Data Research Network partners
• Consolidate our existing Adaptive Platform Trials into a pan-Canadian, internationally connected clinical trials infrastructure
• Engage a diverse spectrum of patients, families, and Indigenous partners
• Continue our collaboration as a lead partner organization in the CIHR-funded Life-Threatening Illness National Group (LifTING) Research Training Platform
• Enable an integrated approach across the continuum of care and across all age groups

To date, Networks within the Network have enrolled more than 4,000 Canadians in COVID-19 trials, 40,000 patients internationally in partner trials, and over 95,000 Canadians in COVID-19-related studies. This work represents more than 50 peer-reviewed and funded projects and grants totaling over $30 million in investment in Canadian research. Networks within the Network have already generated more than 100 peer-reviewed publications that have helped build collaborations, change clinical practice and improve the care of patients with COVID-19.

Learn more about the COVID-19 Network of Clinical Trials Networks.