Research Canada spearheads international agreement to strengthen health research and health innovation
OTTAWA, April 3, 2013 – President and CEO of Research Canada, Ms. Deborah Gordon-El-Bihbety, signed a landmark agreement with representatives from Research!America, Research Australia and Research!Sweden aiming to improve global collaboration and advance health research advocacy here at home.
“We share a common vision that health research is a shared benefit, a shared responsibility and an investment in our future,” stated Ms. Gordon-El-Bihbety.
“Research Canada and our counterparts in the United States, Australia and Sweden are dedicated to making health research a high national priority in our respective countries. We recognize that health research builds better health systems and improves the health and prosperity of our citizens.”
Spearheaded by Research Canada, the agreement will capitalize on existing – in some cases decade-long – partnerships between the four organizations to better share information, strategies and best practices in health research advocacy, governance and operational procedures.
“There is real value in greater cooperation at the international level, said Ms. Maureen Adamson, Chair of Research Canada and CEO of Cystic Fibrosis Canada. “Sharing our networks, expertise and approaches in a more systematic way can only strengthen our own advocacy efforts.”
“And strengthen we must,” added Dr. Michael Julius, Science Advisor to Research Canada’s Board of Directors and Vice-President of Research at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
“While the Canadian government’s recent budget includes significant investments in business development and private sector partnerships, it does little to support the discovery research that is fundamental to our capacity as a nation to innovate.”
This new agreement will help Research Canada and its counterparts seize opportunities to advance health research and health innovation and is a critical step in accelerating the translation of discovery research into the health system and global marketplace.
View a copy of the Letter of Agreement here.
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Contact:
Ms. Deborah Gordon-El-Bihbety
President and CEO
Research Canada: An Alliance for Health Discovery
Tel: 613-234-5129
Email: dgordon@rc-rc.ca
About Research Canada: An Alliance for Health Discovery
Research Canada is a national, broad-based alliance whose members are drawn from the academic, voluntary and private sectors. Research Canada is dedicated to increasing investments in health research and translating that research into better health, sustainable health care and economic prosperity for all Canadians.