The Accelerating Clinical Trials – Clinical Trial Unit (ACT-CTU) at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), led by Dr. Sushmita Pamidi, is dedicated to establishing a model clinical trial community. Their mission involves educating researchers about the vital role of clinical trials in meeting patients’ needs. With funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) totaling $55 million, the unit is empowered to execute its initiatives. As a pivotal player in the national partnership known as the Accelerating Clinical Trials (ACT) Canada Consortium, the ACT-CTU is committed to elevating the impact of clinical trials in Canada.
One year into its mission, the unit has ambitious initiatives:
Our aim is to help more researchers understand the benefits of clinical trials in addressing research questions that are important to their patients.
Dr. Sushmita Pamidi
A Think Tank event was recently organized to gather input from RI-MUHC researchers on supporting clinical trialists. The event emphasized the unit’s goal of establishing a clinical trial community at RI-MUHC, providing support to both new and experienced trialists, and fostering connections between local investigators and trialists and patients from the wider pan-Canadian trial network. By emphasizing team science, the unit aims to align with the overarching ACT mandate, positioning Canada as a global leader in clinical trial activity and enhancing the design and implementation of trials.
The ACT-CTU plans to launch an internal call for clinical trials in early 2024, to serve as flagship studies for the RI-MUHC’s model community. Selected trials will receive seed funding and priority access to ACT-CTU resources to launch or advance their studies.
Read more about ACT-CTU at the RI-MUHC
Building an inclusive clinical trial community An innovative new unit at the RI-MUHC supports health researchers in launching and conducting impactful clinical trials. RIMUHC News. February 28, 2024.