President's Message

CIHR President comments on release of final
Senate Committee Health Report

Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) released the following statement today on the report of the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology regarding, The Health of Canadians - the Federal Role (the Kirby Report).

The Senate committee's report calls on the government to increase funding for health research to "achieve a level of one percent of total Canadian health care spending. This requires an additional investment of $440 million by the federal government."

"CIHR commends the members of the Senate committee and Chairman Kirby for acknowledging the importance of investing in health research in Canada. Research is the foundation on which our health care system rests. Through new discoveries and treatments, research improves the quality of life for Canadians and reduces the economic burden of illness. I am confident that with the continued support of the Government of Canada and our partners we will realize the highest standards of excellence in health research."

"CIHR currently funds over 6,000 researchers and thousands of research trainees. A continued investment in CIHR will allow us to train the next generation of health researchers to help support and sustain the health care system. CIHR's 13 Institutes bring researchers together to focus on important health problems, challenges and opportunities. For example, the Institute of Health Services and Policy Research and the Institute of Population and Public Health support the development of a more cost-effective, efficient and evidence-based health care system."

"The Senate committee's recommendations recognize that health and health research are not only at the heart of a better health care system, but the keystone of the Government's Innovation Agenda."

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Further information:
Janet Weichel, Media Specialist
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
(613) 941-4563