Parliamentary Health Research Caucus Luncheon to Highlight Innovators in Paediatric Medicines and Clinical Trials

OTTAWA, Tuesday, December 4, 2018— Historically, children have been ‘therapeutic orphans.’ Many drugs have not been studied or labelled for use in children and adolescents. This has led to unnecessary risk of harm to the millions of children who need medicines each year. Networks have developed in the United States and Europe to enhance drug research for this group, while no comparable evolution has occurred in Canada. Improved research involving this critical population will be an important step to reducing inequities in health and improving the evidence base that informs paediatric medical practice. Children who are ill need treatment that is appropriate for their age and the stage of their developing minds and bodies.

Research Canada and the Parliamentary Health Research Caucus, in collaboration with co-hosts Children’s Healthcare Canada and the Paediatric Chairs of Canada, are proud to welcome three of Canada’s leading researchers and experts on paediatric medicines and clinical trials to an invitation-only luncheon with Parliamentarians to share innovative approaches to address the plight of children within the health care system. Dr. Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg will speak to the current state of Canadian and international paediatric medicines and clinical trials; Dr. Thierry Lacaze-Masmonteil will explore successes in other jurisdictions; and closing out the afternoon, Dr. Rulan Parekh will endeavor to answer the question: How do we build a Made in Canada paediatric medicines and clinical trials system?

Date:                   Tuesday, December 4, 2018, 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Where:                Speaker’s Lounge, Centre Block, Parliament Hill

Social Media:     #HealthResearch4Kids, #HealthResearchCaucus

Who:
Dr. Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg
University of Manitoba | Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba
Dr. Thierry Lacaze-Masmonteil
University of Calgary | Maternal Infant Child and Youth Research Network
Dr. Rulan Parekh
SickKids Research Institute

Parliamentary Health Research Caucus
Chair: Ms. Kim Rudd, MP (Northumberland—Peterborough South)
Vice-Chairs: Ms. Carol Hughes, MP (Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing),
Ms. Marilyn Gladu, MP (Sarnia—Lambton)
Senate Representative: The Honourable Judith Seidman

Research Canada
Dr. Robert McMaster, Chair
Ms. Deborah Gordon-El-Bihbety, President and CEO

About Research Canada
Research Canada is a national alliance dedicated to increasing investments in health research through collaborative advocacy and engaging government, academia, industry and non-profit sectors to build support for long-term health research funding. For more information, visit rc-rc.ca.

Since 2009, Parliamentary Health Research Caucus events on Parliament Hill have helped to educate politicians on the social and economic benefits of Canadian health research and innovation, as well as introduce them to the multi-sector partnerships among academic, private sector and health charity stakeholders essential to a robust health research enterprise and innovation system.

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For inquiries:

Ms. Christie Tomkins
Policy and Public Affairs Officer
613-234-5129
ctomkins@rc-rc.ca