Latest news with #ResearchImprovementsThroughHarmonizationinManitoba
Business Wire
3 days ago
- Health
- Business Wire
Bioscience Association Manitoba Applauds Government Action to Advance Bioscience Research and Clinical Trials in Manitoba
WINNIPEG, Manitoba--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bioscience Association Manitoba (BAM) welcomes the Manitoba government's latest announcement to launch a Clinical Trials Office, and the implementation of the Research Manitoba led project, Research Improvements Through Harmonization in Manitoba (RITHIM), both designed to accelerate and improve health research in the province. 'For too long, the process of moving innovative research into real-world care has taken longer in Manitoba than in other jurisdictions,' said Andrea Ladouceur, President & CEO of BAM. 'Both the new Manitoba Clinical Trials Office and RITHIM are key pieces of the puzzle that will help connect research to our ecosystem and shorten timelines and enables research to get where it's needed, into the lives of Manitobans.' Manitoba has led with action on the top 2 recommendations from the Manitoba Clinical Trials Working Group. The first is to create a Clinical Trials office to champion connections between researcher and resources and the second is to create a timebound standardized processes. BAM was honoured to co-chair this Working Group over the past 10 months developing recommendations to improve how research is conducted in the province. The new Manitoba Clinical Trials Office, announced by Honourable Jamie Moses, Minister of Business, Mining, Trade, and Job Creation, will help champion Manitoba as a destination for world-class clinical research. RITHIM will also help shorten process timelines. Learn more at 'Clinical trials are essential to getting new, innovative medicines into our healthcare system,' noted Ladouceur. 'Canada uses only about 20 per cent of the innovative medicines available in other G7 countries. Manitoba can and should lead the way in changing that.' The bioscience sector contributes approximately 7 per cent of Manitoba's GDP, with medicine ranked as the province's top export. Manitoba is home to a growing hub of companies like Bausch Health, Pfizer, Cytophage Technologies, Emergent, Kane Biotech, and Dynacare, which are developing solutions that help patients return to healthier lives. 'Our members are leaders in how we heal, feed, and fuel the world,' said Ladouceur. 'But innovation only matters if it reaches people. Many patients can't wait for life-saving treatments. That's why we need to continuously improve how we move research from the lab into people's lives,' noted Andrea. With this announcement, BAM sees Manitoba taking a strong step forward toward a more coordinated, responsive, and globally competitive research environment. 'We're proud to support this important milestone,' added Ladouceur. 'Manitoba is the right place for research to thrive with strong values around inclusivity, a commitment to quality, and a collaborative mindset. We look forward to what comes next.' For more information about this announcement, visit Bioscience Association Manitoba (BAM) is a not-for-profit industry association that enables commercial success for bioscience companies in Manitoba by acting as a catalyst for innovation, leading with one unified voice for all bioscience advancement and growth, and supporting a future-focused workforce. Learn more about Bioscience Association Manitoba:
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Manitoba seeks to grow innovation, investment in bioscience sector
The province is launching a new clinical trials office to fast-track health research and creating an initiative to grow Manitoba's bioscience sector. Research Improvements Through Harmonization in Manitoba (RITHIM) will bring industry partners together to streamline the review system so research projects can be approved faster and more efficiently. The new electronic system will also create a single co-ordinated application process. MLAs Renée Cable, Jamie Moses and Mike Moroz made the announcement Wednesday at Red River College Polytechnic's Notre Dame Avenue campus in Winnipeg. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Advanced Education and Training Minister Renée Cable speaks at a press conference Wednesday with fellow ministers, Innovation and New Technology Minister Mike Moroz, left, and Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation Minister Jamie Moses at the RRC Simulation Centre, where they announced the provincial government's launch of a new clinical trials office to fast-track health research and the new Research Improvements Through Harmonization in Manitoba (RITHIM) project to grow Manitoba's bioscience sector. RITHIM and the clinical trials office will make it 'easier, faster and more efficient' for innovation and investment in the biosciences field in Manitoba, said Cable, the advanced education and training minister. It will create jobs and signal to students in Manitoba there is a space for people who want to work in biosciences and do cutting-edge research in the province, she added. The clinical trials office will build on Manitoba's strength as Canada's second-largest pharmaceutical exporter and a hub for biotech innovation, said Moses, who noted Manitoba's biosciences sector adds $5.2 billion to the provincial GDP. 'We have a homegrown network of researchers (and) innovators … that are thriving and driving innovation and new health-care diagnostics and therapeutics right here in Manitoba,' said Moses, the business, mining, trade and job creation minister. 'This clinical trial office will help us leverage their success to even more strengths and success in the future and, on top of that, will attract new investment into our province.' Research Manitoba, the provincial agency that promotes the funding of research, will lead RITHIM. RITHIM director Liz Lylyk described the initiative as unique across Canada and said it will harmonize ethics, privacy and health institutional review processes to streamline health research approvals in Manitoba. The project will create an ecosystem where researchers can focus on science, accelerate innovation and get solutions to the population faster, Lylyk said. 'RITHIM will be an essential element of growing health research here in Manitoba, leading to economic and social prosperity, as well as significant improvements in the health and well-being of Manitobans.' The province's biosciences sector is largely unknown but delivers more than 14,000 jobs to Manitobans, said Andrea Ladouceur, Bioscience Association Manitoba president and CEO. 'Research can have a long runway in its pursuit of being available to all,' she said. 'RITHIM is a key component in helping us make sure that that process is done properly and within reasonable timelines.' The government is investing $100,000 this year in the new clinical trials office, Moses said. The investment is part of Manitoba's 2025-26 budget. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. RITHIM and the clinical trials office will create more opportunities for businesses to invest in Manitoba, Moses added. 'Not only is this a signal that we're ready to break down barriers to make sure investment happens in Manitoba quicker, but we're also able to work in partnership with industry to understand their needs, listen to them and make sure that we take concrete action to make sure our Manitoba economy continues to grow,' he said. 'At the same time, it's going to improve health-care outcomes for Manitobans.' Wednesday's briefing followed last month's announcement the province is giving Research Manitoba an annual $5-million funding top-up. Aaron EppReporter Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
