Research Canada publishes open letter to Canadians in the Globe and Mail calling for Budget 2023 to close growing funding gap in health research.
OTTAWA, March 7, 2023 – Underinvestment in health research is driving away Canada’s talented researchers and threatening the country’s health security, according to Research Canada in an open letter to Canadians published this morning in the Globe and Mail.
The letter, which is signed by Research Canada’s Board of Directors, calls on Canadians to reach out to their Members of Parliament ahead of the upcoming federal budget to make sure Canada closes the growing funding gap in health research for the benefit of every person living in Canada. Governments in the United States, Europe and Asia invest far more in health research because they recognize that these investments increase their ability to respond to emerging health threats.
“Canada needs to catch up to our global peers,” adds Dr. Rose Goldstein, MD, Chair of Research Canada and Professor of Medicine at McGill University. “Failure to do so puts us all at risk of not having the health research talent and discoveries to fight the next emerging pathogen or protect our mental and physical health.”
“Health research is a promise for a better future,” says Deborah Gordon-El-Bihbety, President and CEO of Research Canada. “Decades of health research brought us COVID-19 vaccines and will bring us countless health solutions in the future, but only if we invest in health research today.”
The full open letter to Canadians is available online at:
https://rc-rc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ResearchCanada_GlobeAndMail_FINAL.pdf
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. Research Canada’s more than 100 Members represent the following sectors: Academic—hospitals, universities, medical schools and colleges; Private—biopharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies and; Voluntary—health charities, scientific societies, networks of excellence and patient organizations. For more information, visit rc-rc.ca.
Research Canada’s Board of Directors
Dr. Rose Goldstein, McGill University, Chair, Research Canada
Dr. Tarik Möröy, Montreal Clinical Research Institute, Vice-Chair, Research Canada
Dr. Amir Asif, York University
Dr. Kristin Baetz, University of Calgary
Dr. Karen Chad, University of Saskatchewan
Ellen Chesney, Provincial Health Services Authority
Lauren Fischer, AbbVie Canada
Dr. David Hill, Lawson Health Research Institute
Beth Kidd, Health Coalition of Alberta
Christine Lennon, Incyte Biosciences Canada
Sue Mack-Klinger, Saskatchewan Polytechnic
Dr. Stéphanie Michaud, BioCanRx
Dr. Taylor Morriseau, University of Manitoba
Judy Noordermeer, Board Director
Dr. Abraham Rudnick, Dalhousie University
Lori Spadorcia, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Jason Vanderheyden, Board Director
Dr. Ingrid Waldron, McMaster University
Dr. Bradly Wouters, University Health Network
Dr. Marla Shapiro, University of Toronto
Dr. Ryan Wiley, Shift Health
Deborah Gordon-El-Bihbety, President and CEO, Research Canada
For inquiries:
Christie Tomkins
Manager of Policy and Public Affairs
613-234-5129
ctomkins@rc-rc.ca
Rebecca Heath
Director of Operations
519-277-9719
rheath@rc-rc.ca