For over 30 years, the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network (CTN) has played a central role in driving Canada’s HIV research efforts. Today, we find ourselves in the midst of another global health crisis – COVID-19. The virus has spread across the globe at great speed, leaving many questions hanging in the air. How is COVID-19 spread and how could it be treated? What does it mean for people living with HIV and other potentially vulnerable populations? How can health outcomes be improved for people around the world?
During this pandemic, it is more important than ever that we work together to flatten the curve. At the CTN, we are proud to be a conduit for the rapid implementation of national co-ordinated COVID-19 trials. Our team of experts are mobilized to help researchers turn a good idea into great research.
The CTN National Centre provides research support services by efficiently centralizing administrative, methodological, and research management, including communications and knowledge translation. We have a history of providing support services for both national and international clinical research cooperative groups, and we are extending that support to COVID-19 research.
In the fight against COVID-19, the CTN provides:
- An online research toolbox with downloadable documents to help researchers understand and plan all activities required for a study as early as possible
- Access to Canadian sites within the CTN’s Network, including all of the large academic teaching hospitals in Canada
- Resources for creating clinical research protocols that comply with regulatory requirements.
Our Data Safety and Monitoring Committee (DSMC) may also be available to help monitor the conduct and progress of clinical trials and make recommendations, evaluate accumulating study data, review clinical trial design, alert trial leaders to potential issues, and monitor enrolment. In addition, the CTN is home to a Scientific Review Committee who can support researchers with peer review, methodological standards, evaluation of the scientific merit of studies, and study design.
We can also provide training to Canadian investigators and site personnel to meet NIH and Health Canada requirements. Through Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Ethics training modules, the CTN can help researchers and their teams stay up to date with educational and regulatory requirements for clinical research.
Interested in learning more?
For more information on collaborating with the CTN and accessing our services, please contact info@ctnplus.ca and see our full list of support services here.
