Healthy Skepticism Library item: 13771
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Publication type: news
People Suffering from Arthritis to Benefit from Strengthened Clinical Trials Group
Canada NewsWire 2008 May 30
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2008/30/c6179.html
Full text: CRRC closer to its vision of being competitive globally
TORONTO, May 30 /CNW/ – The Canadian Rheumatology Research Consortium
(CRRC), a non-profit network that designs, conducts and evaluates arthritis
clinical trials in Canada, is celebrating its fifth anniversary with the
announcement of two important partnerships that will expand its offerings in
order to provide better care to the 4.5 million Canadians living with
arthritis.
The CRRC, originally focusing on rheumatoid arthritis only, added
ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis to its areas of
expertise in 2006. The new partnership with the Spondyloarthritis Research
Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) and the Canadian Network for Improved Outcomes
in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (CaNIOS http://www.canios.ca/Default.aspx)
brings the CRRC nearer to its goal of being the national voice of rheumatology
trials in Canada and a competitive player in a global trials environment.
“The CRRC fills an important function in Canadian society by ensuring
that rigorous and safe clinical trials continue to take place in Canada to
test new arthritis medications,” explains Dr. Ed Keystone, Chairman of the
Canadian Rheumatology Research Consortium. “This one-stop-shop now provides a
comprehensive suite of offerings that will ultimately improve patient care.”
“We have watched the CRRC grow in the last five years and become an
efficient, effective, respected group in Canada,” explains Dr. Paul Fortin of
CaNIOS. “This partnership will allow CaNIOS and SPARCC to maintain separate
identities while handing off some of the early coordination activities of
industry-sponsored clinical trials. Everyone concentrates on what they do best
and the person living with arthritis is the ultimate winner.”
“I am thrilled to hear that people like me, who live with one of the
rarer forms of arthritis, may now get quicker access to medications to improve
our condition,” says Louise Bergeron of Montreal, a person living with
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
The addition of SPARCC and CaNIOS experts to CRRC’s membership will make
the organization more complete in what it can offer to industry, it allows
trials to become more standardized and improves knowledge transfer for
medications that could potentially cross disciplines.
The CRRC was launched in November 2003 with funding from the Canadian
Arthritis Network (www.arthritsnetwork.ca).
All inquiries regarding arthritis trials can be directed to Linda
Bennett, Executive Director for the CRRC, at 416-586-5912. For more
information about the CRRC, please visit www.rheumtrials.ca.
CaNIOS and Lupus Canada are holding a Lupus Patient Symposium on May 31st
in Montreal, Quebec, at the Delta Montreal. More information is available by
contacting Lupus Canada at 905-513-0004.
About the Canadian Rheumatology Research Consortium
The Canadian Rheumatology Research Consortium (CRRC), founded in November
2003 is a non-profit network with a mission to enhance the volume and scope of
arthritis clinical research in Canada. Consisting of 60 rheumatology trialists
from across Canada, representing both academic and community-based sites, the
CRRC facilitates trials in rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis,
psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis and lupus to help the 4.5 million
Canadians living with these chronic conditions.
For further information: Stacey Johnson, Director of Communications,
(416) 586-4685, (416) 712-4448 cell, sjohnson@mtsinai.on.ca
