Capturing Innovation for Better Health and Health Care for Canadians

Renewed strategic plan positions Canada’s health research agency for the future

March 10, 2015 – Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Introduction
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) today launched a renewed strategic plan that will guide its activities over the next five years. The plan focuses on supporting innovation, forging new partnerships, and achieving better health for Canadians and a stronger health care system in Canada.

The plan, Health Research Roadmap II: Capturing Innovation to Produce Better Health and Health Care for Canadians, continues along the path set out in the first Roadmap, launched in 2009, and positions the organization to effectively respond to Canada’s future health challenges.

Under the plan, CIHR will work with its partners to invest in targeted initiatives in four priority areas:

• Improved patient outcomes
• Health and wellness for Aboriginal peoples
• Health promotion and disease prevention
• Improved quality of life for people living with chronic conditions

To ensure Canada’s health research community can address these priorities, CIHR will be guided by three strategic directions. First, CIHR will promote research excellence and innovation by improving the way it supports to world-class researchers in their pursuit of cutting-edge ideas and by training the next generation of health researchers. Second, CIHR will work with its partners to mobilize research to produce new approaches and better results. Finally, CIHR will demonstrate the value of its investments to Canadians, ensuring they are at the centre of its decisions.

Quick Facts

• Created in 2000, CIHR is the Government of Canada’s health research agency.
• With an annual budget of $1B, CIHR is the single largest investor in health research and innovation in Canada. The organization works in collaboration with a wide range of Canadian and international partners
• CIHR supports more than 13,700 health researchers and trainees across Canada. Their work advances our understanding of human health and disease and enhances our capacity to provide accessible, affordable and reliable health care services.

Quotes

“With Roadmap II, we are positioning CIHR to deliver even greater impact for Canadians in the future. The plan will guide our investments ‎in initiatives focused in improving patient care, responding to health challenges, and contributing to a healthier Canada.”
– Dr. Alain Beaudet, President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

“Rx&D looks forward to continue our longstanding relationship with CIHR as Roadmap II rolls out. The pursuit of innovation from discovery to application is central to the work of our members, and we anticipate continued productive partnerships to support research that helps Canadians live longer and healthier lives. Innovations in health research is driven by these collaborative relationships, which is a great success story for Canadians.”
– Russell Williams, President, Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D)

“The Alzheimer Society of Canada looks forward to working with CIHR as the organization embarks on its new strategic plan to prevent and better manage chronic diseases. We’re also looking forward to our continued collaboration with CIHR on the exciting work being led by the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging, which we’re confident will help reduce the burden of these conditions, particularly dementia. By bringing together our best and brightest in neuroscience across the country, we hope to accelerate our understanding of dementia and lead to more effective treatments.”
– Mimi Lowi-Young, CEO, Alzheimer Society of Canada

“CIHR has been an extraordinary partner to work with. They have vast experience in health research and have brought bold and innovative ideas to our joint research to practice project under the Strategy for Patient Oriented Research. The process that led to the funding of the successful project unleashed huge energy for mental health care transformation across the country. There is huge momentum for change now and there is no doubt Canadian patients and their families will be huge beneficiaries of our partnership with CIHR. The new strategic plan will clearly build on CIHR’s past record of leadership and innovation towards improving health care for Canadians.”
– Tony Boeckh, Co-Chair, Graham Boeckh Foundation

“The health and wellness of Aboriginal people living in urban areas is of great importance to the work of Friendship Centres, we are pleased the CIHR also recognizes this as a research priority guiding their strategic vision. Through our work at the NAFC – Pathways – PEKE we look forward to the CIHR’s continued support in ensuring research on health and wellness topics are addressed in ways that are meaningful to Friendship Centres and the communities they serve.”
– Jeffrey Cyr, Executive Director, National Association of Friendship Centres

Related Product

• Health Research Roadmap II: Capturing Innovation to Produce Better Health and Health Care for Canadians

Contacts
Media Relations
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
613-941-4563
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency. CIHR’s mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened health care system for Canadians. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,700 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

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