Osteoarthritis Consensus Conference
(April 2002)
Executive Summary
On April 19-21, 2002, leading medical researchers, clinicians, policymakers and patients gathered in Toronto for a major osteoarthritis conference, the first of its kind in Canada. An initiative of The Arthritis Society, The Canadian Arthritis Network and CIHR's Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis, the conference promised to be unlike other scientific meetings. The conference was a high-level brainstorming session where everyone, from researchers and medical experts to disease advocates and patients, was allowed their say. In fact, the stakeholders joined forces to determine the future direction of osteoarthritis research in Canada.
Experts from around the globe were invited to present their research at the conference. They were asked to present their findings in a way that is easy to grasp for those living with osteoarthritis. Other sessions drew patients into the strategic planning process and gave them a voice in shaping the future research agenda. Unusual? Perhaps. But it was essential, according to the conference organizers, to make patients active partners in the process.
One of the primary goals of the conference was to make osteoarthritis research in Canada more collaborative, cohesive and focused on specific targets. To that end, participants made recommendations about future research. That means addressing questions such as: What direction should the research take? What should be the research focus? And what are the main areas where Canada can contribute to global research in osteoarthritis?
OA Priorities Identified
THEME 1
What are the causes and treatment of pain and fatigue in OA, and what is its relationship to outcomes of OA treatment?
THEME 2
What are the best methods of KT and how effective are they?
THEME 3
What are the risk factors/causes of OA and how effective are OA treatments?
THEME 4
What are the best models, markers and tools for evaluation of OA and what are the most effective models of OA care?
THEME 5
What are the best prevention strategies for OA?
THEME 6
What are new targets for OA treatment?
