The ACT Consortium Contracts Working Group has developed the Governing Data and Biological Sample Transfers Agreement (gDSSA)—a streamlined approach to facilitating research collaborations. This agreement establishes a binding framework with pre-negotiated terms and conditions, significantly reducing execution timelines by enabling focused negotiations.
A key feature of the gDSSA is the transfer letter, which outlines study-specific details while maintaining the integrity of the pre-established terms. Changes are kept to a minimum, ensuring efficiency and consistency in the execution process. Version française ici.
Adoption and Impact
Executed in February 2024, the gDSSA initially included 29 Canadian signatories from universities, research institutes, hospitals, and health authorities. Since then, the agreement has expanded to include over 50 adoptees, demonstrating its value in fostering research collaborations.
When is the gDSSA Best Used?
The gDSSA is ideal for research involving:
- Secondary use research
- Retrospective chart reviews
- Prospective chart reviews (without consent)
- Data analysis
Who Should Consider Signing On?
The gDSSA is beneficial for:
- Academic institutions and research institutions/organizations
- Hospitals and health authorities
- Affiliated institutions involved in data and biological sample transfers
How to Become An Adoptee?
Complete the attached Joinder Form and return it to jencox@ohri.ca, contracts@ohri.ca, and sierra.rosiana-easlick@phri.ca.
Once you have returned the Joinder Form, you will receive a Word version of the gDSSA for use.
Alberta Health Services Provincial Health Corporation (AHSPHC)
Bruyère Health Research Institute
Cancer Care Provincial Health Corporation (CCPHC)
CancerCare Manitoba
Carleton University
Centretown Community Health Centre
Dalhousie University
Fraser Health Authority
(G.I.R.I.) GI Research Institute Foundation
Governors of the University of Calgary
Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation
Health Sciences North Research Institute
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Hospital for Sick Children
Institut du Savoir Montfort
IWK Health
Kensington Research Institute
Kingston Health Sciences Centre
Kingston Health Sciences Centre Research Institute
Lawson Research Institute
London Health Sciences Centre Research Inc.
Maternal Infant Child and Youth Research Network
McMaster University
Mego Nerses, Registered Psychotherapist
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Montfort
Nova Scotia Health Authority
Oak Valley Health
Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Ottawa Inner City Health Inc.
Providence Care Centre
Providence Health Care Society
Provincial Health Services Authority (on behalf of BC Cancer)
Provincial Health Services Authority (on behalf of BC Children’s Hospital and BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre)
Queen’s University at Kingston
Queensway Carleton Hospital
Sante Quebec, acting through Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine
Santé Québec, acting through Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux du Bas-Saint-Laurent
Santé Québec, acting through Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Montérégie-Centre
Santé Québec, acting through CHU de Québec-Université Laval
Saskatchewan Cancer Agency
Sault Area Hospital
Shared Health, the provincial health authority under The Health System Governance and Accountability Act, operating the Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg
Sinai Health System
St. Boniface Hospital Inc.
Sunnybrook Research Institute
The Governing Council of the University of Toronto
The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre & Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute
The Research Institute of St. Joe’s Hamilton
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
The Saskatchewan Health Authority
The University of British Columbia
The University of Manitoba
The University of Saskatchewan
University of Waterloo
The University of Western Ontario
Unity Health Toronto
Université de Sherbrooke
University Health Network
University of Alberta
University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research
University of Toronto
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
Vancouver Island Health Authority
William Osler Health System
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
World Health Research Inc.
*This is not a complete list. Only signatories who have given consent to be publicly named are included.
