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Atlantic Clinical Trials Network

Initiated by Nova Scotia Health and co-led with IWK Health, Eastern Health, Vitalite Health Network, Horizon Health Network, and Health PEI, the Atlantic Clinical Trials Network is poised to boost research and innovation, introduce new healthcare opportunities, and position the region as a world-leader in clinical trials.

Initiated by Nova Scotia Health and co-led with IWK Health, Eastern Health, Vitalite Health Network, Horizon Health Network, and Health PEI, the Atlantic Clinical Trials Network is poised to boost research and innovation, introduce new healthcare opportunities, and position the region as a world-leader in clinical trials.

Atlantic Canada has some unique and challenging demographic attributes: highest levels of chronic disease in Canada with complex comorbidities; one of the oldest populations in Canada; multiple founder populations providing unique genetic insights with a high prevalence of rare disease, some of the highest autoimmune diseases in Canada; and the highest cancer rates per capita in Canada. The Network will allow Atlantic Canadian provinces to work together in a streamlined fashion, bringing new medicines, therapies, interventions, and devices to the Atlantic region for the benefit of patients. 

The Network will boost patient access to trial opportunities and leading care by reducing barriers and burdens associated with clinical trial participation. It effectively increases the population of patient partners from ~1 million in Nova Scotia to approximately 2.5 million across Atlantic Canada, which will allow us to leverage the unique demographics of the entire Atlantic Canadian region. 

ACTN will coordinate between and among provincial authorities to maximize federal, provincial, and sponsor funding opportunities while maintaining the autonomy of its partners to build upon regional strengths and ensure equitable representation and access for Atlantic Canada’s diverse patient populations in clinical research. The network will have an emphasis on increasing capacity in data/IT infrastructure to promote a decentralized clinical trial environment, maximize data transfer and analytic capacity between study sites, and increase efficiency and access to clinical trials for rural populations and care centres. 

The Network was formally launched on June 14, 2022, at the BIO International Convention in San Diego, the world’s largest event focused of biotechnology.

We are thrilled to be working with our colleagues in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island on this important initiative. We believe that research is care and caring for our patients is our primary driver. This is a significant opportunity to improve health and health care for those in the region.

-- Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy, Vice President, Research, Innovation and Discovery and Chief Nurse Executive, Nova Scotia Health