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Become a CanReview Partner Institution
Do you support a single research ethics review system for Canada? The CanReview Collaboration is inviting organizations across the clinical trials ecosystem to demonstrate support for this important pan-Canadian initiative by joining the growing list of CanReview Partners. Partners are welcome from across the clinical trial ecosystem including hospitals, universities, research groups and networks, clinical trial units, research institutes/organizations, industry, innovation organizations, health charities, patient advocacy groups, and others.
If you or your organization would like to show support for this effort, email info@canreview.ca.
Together, we can build a research ethics review system that will make Canada more competitive and make clinical trials more efficient, accessible and equitable.
Check if your center is signed on to the gDSSA
The ACT Consortium Contracts Working Group has launched the Governing Data and Biological Sample Transfers Agreement (gDSSA)—a game-changing tool designed to simplify and accelerate research collaboration across institutions.
The gDSSA establishes a binding framework with pre-negotiated terms and conditions, allowing for targeted negotiations and dramatically reduced execution timelines. A key feature is the transfer letter, which captures study-specific details while preserving the integrity of the core agreement—minimizing revisions and ensuring a consistent, efficient process.
Since its execution in February 2024, the gDSSA has grown from 29 to over 50 Canadian signatories, including universities, hospitals, research institutes, and health authorities. This rapid uptake highlights its value in supporting collaborative, multi-site research.
Interested in Learning More or Joining the Growing List of Adoptees?
Contact Breanne Stewart at breanne.stewart@micyrn.ca or Jennifer Cox at jencox@ohri.ca for details.
Support WHO guidance adoption
The Guidance for Best Practices for Clinical Trials has been developed in response to the 2022 World Health Assembly resolution (WHA75.8) on strengthening clinical trials. This guidance provides Member States with a framework for integrating robust and ethical clinical trial practices into their national health systems, enhancing the quality, transparency, and inclusivity of trials worldwide.
Based on the latest evidence, the guidance outlines key principles for conducting clinical trials, including ethical standards, regulatory considerations, and the promotion of patient-centered research. These best practices are designed to improve the efficiency and equity of clinical trials, and ensure that clinical research benefits all populations.
WHO guidance for best practices for clinical trials indicates that trials of new drugs or devices intended for a regulatory indication should follow ICH E6 R3 guidance, whereas all other trials should follow Guidance for Good Randomized Clinical Trials. Although most trial protocols state they will follow ICH E6 R3, it is important to encourage investigators at your institution and your review process to state they follow WHO guidance, which covers guidance for whatever type of trial is being undertaken.
For more information about the WHO Guidance, visit their website.
Join the Canadian Clinical Trials Asset Map
The Canadian Clinical Trials Asset Map (CCTAM) is a pan-Canadian research inventory of investigators, clinical research sites, hospitals, institutions, research ethics boards (REBs) and other clinical research resources available across the country.
The Asset Map is an essential tool for anyone considering or planning to conduct clinical research in Canada. It is an ideal way for sponsors of clinical trials to identify both suitable clinical research sites and investigators that can help expedite study-feasibility analysis and advance research activities. It is also a tool for physicians who want the opportunity to participate in more trials, engage in investigator-initiated research and, above all, stay at the forefront of innovation and medical technology to ultimately provide better care for their patients.
The Asset Map places Canada in a strong position to attract clinical trials and provides research institutions and investigators with the opportunity to showcase their expertise to clinical trial sponsors in Canada and around the world.
Access The CCTAM Database here.
