Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging to be designed to improve health, provide more effective treatment and programs for aging population

OTTAWA (May 6, 2003) - On behalf of the Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Health, the Honourable Sharon Carstairs, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister with Special Responsibility for Palliative Care, accompanied by Dr. Réjean Hébert, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Aging, announced today $400,000 for the research protocol to develop the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). The study will provide knowledge about the aging process that will be used to develop improved treatments and prevention methods for illnesses associated with aging. Minister Carstairs made the announcement at the close of the National Seniors' Forum on Research in Ottawa.

"Canada's aging population will have a significant impact on our health care system and social programs, including palliative care programs," said Minister Carstairs. "We need to acquire the knowledge that will help meet those demands in the future, including treatments and cost effective delivery of care and knowledge on palliation."

The research protocol design will be led by Dr. Susan Kirkland (Dalhousie University), Dr. Parminder Raina (McMaster University), and Dr. Christina Wolfson (McGill University). This outstanding team was chosen through CIHR's rigorous peer review process. The protocol will take 18 months to develop and outline how the CLSA will be conducted. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Health Canada are providing the funding required for the development of the protocol.

"As the first baby-boomers will soon reach age sixty-five, research that pertains to healthy aging will have a significant impact on Canadians," said Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of CIHR. "Our mandate is to provide leadership in areas of health research that are of importance to Canadians. We are pleased to be able to bring together a number of health partners so that we can develop our overall knowledge as it relates to aging."

"The longitudinal study will follow thousands of Canadians over an approximate 20 year period," said Dr. Hebert. "The determinants of healthy aging, as well as the causes and evolution of the most prominent diseases associated with aging such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and dementia will be explored. Carrying out this study will accelerate Canada as an international leader in aging research."

CIHR is the Government of Canada's premier agency for health research. Its objective is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened health care system.

CIHR's Institute of Aging supports research to promote healthy aging and to address causes, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems and palliation for a wide range of conditions associated with aging.

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Attachments:
CLSA Backgrounder
Seniors Forum Backgrounder

Further Information:
Janet Weichel, CIHR, Communications, (613) 941-4563
Farah Mohamed, Office of the Honourable Anne McLellan, (613) 957-0200