Thank you for covering the Canadian Clinical Trials Coordinating Centre (CCTCC) in your May 26, 2014, news article.1 We appreciate your interest in the CCTCC, however, the article is missing important information which we would like to share.
First, contrary to the headline, the CCTCC is a collaboration among three parties representing health care organizations (HealthCareCAN), pharmaceutical companies (Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies) and government (Canadian Institutes of Health Reseach). The country’s research hospitals, academic regional health authorities and their research institutes — represented through HealthCareCAN — are an equal party in this initiative and will offer significant in-kind contribution to help achieve the CCTCC’s goals.
Second, safeguards are in place to protect against undue actual or perceived influence. This includes a carefully designed governance and decision-making model, a national advisory, expert working groups and a first-year evaluation.
Third, the recommendations in the action plan2 being implemented by the CCTCC are a starting point focused on how we expedite clinical trials in a safe, ethical, efficient and effective manner.
Clinical trials connect the promise of science to possibilities for patients. They are associated with innovative care for individuals, better clinical outcomes for participating organizations and ultimately, the human, social and economic benefits of health and prosperity for all. We are pleased to be part of this Canadian collaboration.