Fowler, Robert A

Published purpose

Applications must ensure relevance to all of the following objectives: • Establish central coordination and collaboration activities with existing clinical trials groups/networks to increase the availability of high-quality and real-time evidence and build capacity to support Canada’s rapid response to the global pandemic and health emergencies in order to better prevent, detect, treat and/or manage COVID-19; • Establish a transparent, inclusive, multi-jurisdictional recruitment and membership process that describes benefits for and requirements and expectations of members; • Collaborate across member networks to establish resource and data sharing policies, increase efficiencies in research and related processes (including, but not limited to ethics review; contracts; common protocols; developing applications for trial funding; consistent and valid patient-oriented outcomes), reduce duplication, and maximize research impact for COVID-19; • Create data sharing agreements to ensure follow-up of patients through existing administrative data platforms within Canada; • Adopt a nimble and adaptive strategy for engaging stakeholders in research prioritization and oversight while shifting studies as needed, based on new knowledge and changing COVID-19 landscape; • Provide evidence to inform clinical and health system management and public health response, and/or decision-making and planning within and across jurisdictions in Canada and internationally; and • Enhance local, national and/or international clinical trial collaborative efforts by aligning clinical trials networks with other COVID-19 research investments to prevent and/or mitigate the rapid spread of COVID-19 and related negative consequences.