People Suffering from Arthritis to Benefit from Strengthened Clinical Trials Group
CRRC closer to its vision of being competitive globally
May 30, 2008, Toronto, Ont. -- The
Canadian Rheumatology Research Consortium (CRRC), a
non-profit network that designs, conducts and evaluates
arthritis clinical trials in Canada, is celebrating its
fifth anniversary with the announcement of two important
partnerships that will expand its offerings in order to
provide better care to the 4.5 million Canadians living with
arthritis.
The CRRC, originally focusing on rheumatoid arthritis only,
added ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and
osteoarthritis to its areas of expertise in 2006. The new
partnership with the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium
of Canada (SPARCC) and the Canadian Network for Improved
Outcomes in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (CaNIOS) brings the
CRRC nearer to its goal of being the national voice of
rheumatology trials in Canada and a competitive player in a
global trials environment.
“The CRRC fills an important function in Canadian society by
ensuring that rigorous and safe clinical trials continue to
take place in Canada to test new arthritis medications,”
explains Dr. Ed Keystone, Chairman of the Canadian
Rheumatology Research Consortium. “This one-stop-shop now
provides a comprehensive suite of offerings that will
ultimately improve patient care.”
“We have watched the CRRC grow in the last five years and
become an efficient, effective, respected group in Canada,”
explains Dr. Paul Fortin of CaNIOS. “This partnership will
allow CaNIOS and SPARCC to maintain separate identities
while handing off some of the early coordination activities
of industry-sponsored clinical trials. Everyone concentrates
on what they do best and the person living with arthritis is
the ultimate winner.”
“I am thrilled to hear that people like me, who live with
one of the rarer forms of arthritis, may now get quicker
access to medications to improve our condition,” says Louise
Bergeron of Montreal, a person living with Systemic Lupus
Erythematosus.
The addition of SPARCC and CaNIOS experts to CRRC’s
membership will make the organization more complete in what
it can offer to industry, it allows trials to become more
standardized and improves knowledge transfer for medications
that could potentially cross disciplines.
The CRRC was launched in November 2003 with funding from the
Canadian Arthritis Network (www.arthritsnetwork.ca).
All inquiries regarding arthritis trials can be directed to
Linda Bennett, Executive Director for the CRRC, at
416-586-5912. For more information about the CRRC, please
visit www.rheumtrials.ca.
CaNIOS and Lupus Canada are holding a Lupus Patient
Symposium on May 31st in Montreal, Quebec, at the Delta
Montreal. More information is available by contacting Lupus
Canada at 905-513-0004.
About the Canadian Rheumatology Research Consortium
The Canadian Rheumatology Research Consortium (CRRC),
founded in November 2003 is a non-profit network with a
mission to enhance the volume and scope of arthritis
clinical research in Canada. Consisting of 60 rheumatology
trialists from across Canada, representing both academic and
community-based sites, the CRRC facilitates trials in
rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic
arthritis, osteoarthritis and lupus to help the 4.5 million
Canadians living with these chronic conditions.
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For more information, please contact:
Stacey Johnson
Director of Communications
416-586-4685
sjohnson@arthritisnetwork.ca
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