When we think of clinical trials, we often default to a schema of state-of-the-art research centres housed in large research hospitals and academic institutions, where patients come to centralized locations to participate. Although this model is necessary for a range of research disciplines, groups like C-health strive to redefine this narrative by not only bringing clinical trials to community settings but also educating patients, physicians, and industry partners on how community research programs can help them achieve their goals.
“At C-health, we want to ensure Canadians have access to the same emerging treatments and care pathways as their American counterparts and believe integrating research into practice is a keyway to achieve that,” explains Laura Gillies, Coordinator of Research and Endocrinology Divisions at C-health. “Many of the pharmaceutical agents we trial have shown effectiveness in other jurisdictions, but without clinical trials, they would not be accessible to Canadians due to factors like cost or delayed regulatory approvals”.
Originating as a series of medical specialist clinics based in Alberta, C-health has maintained a research mandate for over 10 years since C-health Research was conceptualized in 2012. Since then, the organization has participated in over 50 industry-initiated clinical trials across Alberta in conditions central to the health and well-being of Albertans, such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.
“Our internal patient database is comprised of over half a million Albertans,” notes Gillies, “all of whom can access research trials through our clinics in Calgary, Edmonton, Sherwood Park, and Airdre. This allows patients to access innovative care through clinical trials within their own communities.”
This mentality has allowed C-health to spread the message that research is truly for everyone. As eluded to above, clinical trials give patients and communities access to effective and novel therapeutics and devices that would be otherwise unavailable or cost-prohibitive as provincial insurers still need to cover them. Meanwhile, clinical trials are an excellent means for physicians to stay on top of cutting-edge medical innovations that could impact patient care while accessing valuable professional development experience. It also gives them exposure to new biologics and drugs that they might be hesitant to prescribe without seeing the benefits of the drug in trials.
Presently, C-health research is recruiting patients for clinical trials related to obesity, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, with the intention of adding more trial opportunities (such as vaccines) in the near future. They are also actively recruiting specialists or general practice physicians interested in maintaining a robust clinical trial portfolio as part of their scope of practice.
“We aim to eliminate the barriers to integrating research into patient care,” Gillies explains. “To achieve this, we collaborate closely with physicians to deploy our research team into their clinical practice. This allows our team to handle the administrative burden and relationships with sponsors, freeing physicians to focus on providing innovative care to patients and their families, who are at the heart of everything we do.”
To learn more about C-health Research and opportunities to engage as either a patient or clinician research please visit their website.