New national poll reinforces Canadians’ resolve to stay the course in health and medical research

OTTAWA, February 7th, 2012 – An overwhelming majority of Canadians (74%) reject the idea of federal cuts to health research in the upcoming 2012 Federal Budget.  Most Canadians think that the federal government should maintain (45%) or increase (30%) funding for health and medical research.

Research Canada: An Alliance for Health Discovery asked Angus Reid Public Opinion to conduct a public opinion survey of 1,000 Canadian adults to gauge the importance Canadians place on health research in the context of Canada’s current economic challenges and in advance of Federal Budget 2012. The survey updates selected results from the landmark Research Canada 2006 survey.

“Canada Speaks! 2012 shows that Canadians see health and medical research as an engine for economic growth,” stated Mr. Jacques Hendlisz, Chair of Research Canada.  “A majority of Canadians (78%) still hold the view that health and medical research makes an important contribution to the Canadian economy: a finding similar to that from 2006.”

Nearly half (45%) of Canadians think that federal investments in health and medical research help to create jobs for Canadians, with agreement particularly high in Alberta (56%) and Atlantic Canada (53%),  added Ms. Deborah Gordon-El-Bihbety, President and CEO of Research Canada.

“Canadians also agree that job creation, while an important benefit of health and medical research is not necessarily the only or most significant benefit. Canadians see benefits to the Canadian economy in a variety of ways – especially with respect to increasing innovation and new technologies and strengthening the marketability of Canadian medical advances,” she added.

When asked:

•    92% of Canadians think that health and medical research increases innovation and new technologies.
•    87% believe that health and medical research makes more health and medical advances.
•    84% of Canadians believe health and medical research creates more jobs.

Dr. Marla Shapiro, a Research Canada Board Director, was impressed with the results. “Canadians are telling us that health research is an important way out of increasing health care costs,” she stated. In fact, a majority (54%) said that health and medical research is part of the solution and not part of the problem when it comes to controlling the cost of health care in Canada.

Click here to view the full results of the Canada Speaks! 2012 survey.

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For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:

Ms. Ranjana Chopra
Executive Assistant to the President
and CEO
613-234-5129
rchopra@rc-rc.ca

Ms. Deborah Gordon-El-Bihbety,
President and CEO, Research Canada
Tel: 613-234-5129
dgordon@rc-rc.ca