Research hospitals lobby for multi-year funding, national health research framework

Canada's research hospitals want the Science and Technology Strategy broadened to include multi-year funding and a national strategic framework for health research. In a 76-page report released November 28, the Association of Canadian Academic Healthcare Organizations (ACAHO) calls on all players involved in health research, from governments and funding agencies to teaching hospitals, to take steps it says are necessary for Canada to maximize investments in health research, innovation and commercialization.

Moving at the Speed of Discovery: From Bench to Beside to Business identifies 10 "calls to action" that could be incorporated in the government's S&T strategy. One request, which has been echoed by organizations like the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, is the need for a multi-year federal fiscal framework for health research.

"In its absence, we continue to run the risk of lurching from year-to-year funding in an environment plagued by uncertainty," the report states. "This recommendation should be seriously considered in light of the fact that close to 80% of public funding for health research occurs in ACAHO member institutions."

other ACAHO recommendations:

1) Developing a compelling vision and mission for health research in Canada that serves as a roadmap in developing a more detailed S&T strategy for the health sector,

2) Developing a national strategic framework for health research in Canada that reflects the inputs - the legislative, regulatory and fiscal environment, and the tech transfer and knowledge transfer processes,

3) Developing and communicating more practical methodologies that provide a better understanding of the ROI that come from research, innovation and commercialization,

4) Adopting a balanced federal approach to investing in the components that support the health research enterprise,

5) Recognizing the full value that Canada's research hospitals bring to the health research enterprise,

6) Developing a clearer consensus on the relationship between discovery-based and targeted investments in health research,

7) Creating additional business acumen capacity to assist in the commercialization of health research,

8) Developing an inclusive and ongoing process of consultation that promotes an effective dialogue: "there is no process that brings together all of the relevant organizations to discuss ongoing and emerging issues of important", and

9) Developing more robust data instruments that collect comparable research data on a timely and regular basis.

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