IHSPR e-Bulletin - June 2009

Important Message from the Scientific Director:

Dear Health Services and Policy Research Community,
 
CIHR is currently conducting a web-based consultation of its new draft strategic plan, "Health Research Roadmap: Creating innovative research for better health and healthcare" The proposed plan will be in effect from 2009-2013 and sets out key directions and priorities that are meant to reflect scientific opportunities and the health needs of Canadians.
 
As a member of the health services and policy research community, you are a stakeholder in the future direction of CIHR. Because the new strategic plan will affect all themes and pillars of research, I believe it is important for our community to have a voice and provide input into its creation. I invite you to review the draft strategic plan and provide your feedback on the web-survey by June 12, 2009, if you have not already done so.

CIHR values your input on its future strategic directions and the relevance of health services and policy research.

Sincerely,
Colleen M. Flood

Funding Opportunities:

Pre-Announcement: CIHR-IHSPR June 2009 Funding Opportunities
CIHR's Institute for Health Services and Policy Research will be launching a series of funding opportunities on June 24, 2009

  • Masters, PhD and Fellowship capacity building grants in primary healthcare
  • National and international Catalyst Research Grants in primary healthcare
  • Methods and Tools grants to support research that enables the development and refinement of research methods and tools

For more information, visit the IHSPR website or the CIHR funding opportunities database on June 24, 2009

Host a Café Scientifique
CIHR launched its Café Scientifique program as an outreach initiative that would provide answers to the general public's questions about popular health topics. Since the program began, more than 140 CIHR Café Scientifiques have taken place in cafés and bars across the country. CIHR organizes its own Café events but also establishes partnerships with non-profit organizations, universities, research centres, science centres and museums across Canada. Café Scientifique partners can apply for $3,000 in funding to host their own Café or Café series.

If your organization would like to host an accessible, informal discussion about health research, submit your application by June 26, 2009. For more details, visit the website.

Notice - Changes to the CIHR Randomized Controlled Trials Program
CIHR is pleased to announce further changes to how it manages randomized controlled trials (RCTs):

  • Effective June 2009, the Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) Program will be integrated within the Open Operating Grants Program (OOGP). Please refer to the Open Operating Grants 2009-2010 funding opportunity on the CIHR Website for program specific details when the new version is launched in late June. For applications to the Open Operating Grants Program for randomized controlled trials there will be two possibilities: 1) if the budget requested is less than $250,000 in every project year researchers may apply to the most relevant content peer review committee or to the RCT peer review committee; and, 2) if the budget requested is greater than or equal to $250,000 in any project year researchers must apply to the RCT peer review committee.
  • Effective immediately, randomized controlled trials will be an available option within other funding opportunities, whenever appropriate for the objectives of those funding opportunities, as determined by CIHR. CIHR staff will decide on the most appropriate review committee, whether ad hoc or an existing review committee, for the review of these applications.

These changes are the end result of the work of a Task Force convened to discuss key issues and provide recommendations to CIHR on the RCT Program. If you have any questions, please contact:
Iranga Chikuru at irangaodette.chikuru@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Toni Gasparini at toni.gasparini@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Irwin Schweitzer at irwin.schweitzer@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Community News and Events:

CIHR-IHSPR would like to congratulate the winners of the 2009 CIHR-IHSPR/CAHSPR Student Poster Competition:
First place: Lisa Merrill of the University of Manitoba, for her poster "Characteristics and Pregnancy Outcomes of Canadian Women who Used Illicit Drugs Prior to Pregnancy"

Second place: Akm Moniruzzaman of the University of British Columbia, for his poster "Risk Factors of Recurrent Tuberculosis in British Columbia, Canada, 1990 to 2006"

Third place: Patrick Fleming of the Memorial University of Newfoundland for his poster "Retention of Specialist Physicians in Newfoundland and Labrador"

This annual competition is designed to encourage graduate students to attend and showcase their work at CAHSPR, Canada's pre-eminent health services and policy research conference, and to recognize the outstanding research efforts of up-and-coming health services and policy researchers. Winners receive prizes of $1000, $600, and $400, respectively, and are encouraged to use their prizes to further their careers in health services and policy research. Congratulations to our winners and we look forward to seeing you at next year's CAHSPR conference!

CIHR Job Opportunity – Executive Director, Drug Safety & Effectiveness Network
The Government of Canada is establishing a Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network (DSEN). As the DSEN host agency, CIHR requires an Executive Director for the Network, which aims to generate and exchange new, post-market ("real world") evidence regarding the safety and effectiveness of pharmaceuticals. The DSEN will respond to decision-makers drug safety and effectiveness information needs and increase capacity within Canada to undertake high-quality research in this area. New evidence generated via the DSEN will inform decision-making about the regulation, public reimbursement, and safe and optimal prescribing and use of drugs within the Canadian health care system.

As the leader of the Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network, the Executive Director (ED) will champion and support innovative post-market ("real world") drug safety and effectiveness research to address gaps in evidence identified by partners and stakeholders and advance a prioritized national research agenda. The ED will, by developing and managing a network that brings Canadian decision makers and the research community together, facilitate the conduct of inter-disciplinary research of the highest level of international excellence. He will build a network of researchers and research organizations; support and respond to a national oversight committee; nurture partnerships; support and accelerate the dissemination, exchange, and application of research findings; and promote the highest ethical and moral standards. The ED will lead efforts to improve the relevance, quality, timeliness of, and access to post-market drug safety and effectiveness research.

Deadline Date for Application: June 19, 2009. For more information, please refer to the website.

Master's and Doctoral (PhD) Research Scholarships in Policy Evaluation
The Laval University PerfEval Research Laboratory on Performance and Evaluation is offering Master's ($7000) and Doctoral ($12 000) research scholarships to outstanding students demonstrating an interest in research concerning Canada's North. For further information, please visit the website. 

AcademyHealth 2009 Annual Research Meeting
June 28-30, 2009, Chicago, Illinois

International Health Economics Association World Congress 2009
July 12-15, 2009, Beijing, China