The National Respiratory Research Strategy – a key Canadian Thoracic Society priority

The Canadian Thoracic Society (CTS) Executive Committee never has a meeting without talking about research, and that’s because research matters… a great deal. Not only is research one of the CTS’ pillars (research, guidelines, education and knowledge translation), but it is also a key component of our efforts with our partners to make a difference in respiratory health. It’s no surprise then that the National Respiratory Research Strategy (NRRS) is at the top of the CTS agenda.

A short while ago, Denis O’Donnell, former CTS President, reported that directors of academic respiratory divisions in Canada “overwhelmingly indicated their concern about the current erosion of clinical research in Canada and the progressive decline in funding, infrastructure and training opportunities” (1). He was clear at that time that “urgent steps need to be taken to address these very real concerns and to preserve our well-deserved reputation for excellence in clinical research in respiratory diseases” (1).

Well, urgent steps have been taken. CTS has led the way, with the Canadian Lung Association (CLA), in developing the NRRS. We are well on our way to implementing the main components of the strategy, the Respiratory National Scientist Core Education and Training (RENASCENT) Program and the Canadian Respiratory Research Network (CRRN).

The RENASCENT Program will promote interdisciplinary research and professional skills development, offer mentoring, foster the development of networking and team building skills, and support trainees and new investigators at transition points in career development. The program will direct its efforts to supporting trainees across all four Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) pillars of clinician- and nonclinician-researchers at the graduate, postdoctoral and new investigator level.

The CRRN will bring together researchers and research platforms to facilitate innovative and collaborative research in respiratory health. The goals of the CRRN are to integrate research efforts, create added value and answer research questions that may only be addressed by a broad network. The CRRN team agreed to build the network on current strengths and reached consensus on the theme of ‘origins and progression of airway diseases’. The focus will be on the two most common lung diseases in Canada – asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonay disease, areas in which we have expertise and credibility.

The CRRN will also translate and apply research results to reduce the economic and health burden of respiratory diseases. It will strengthen alliances and networking opportunities with national, provincial and international partners, and it will include early career support for young investigators while enhancing collaborations with Canadian institutions. The CRRN will eventually provide platforms and infrastructure for future networked projects that will focus on other lung diseases.

Together, the RENASCENT Program and the CRRN will begin to address the gaps so aptly highlighted by Dr O’Donnell. We recently submitted a letter of intent to the CIHR in the hope of securing funding for the CRRN and the CLA Board of Directors approved the use of $1.085 million of research reserves over five years (as 50% of the required matching partnered funding) for the CRRN. They also approved use of research reserves this fiscal year to enable the National Research Steering Committee to design the implementation of the NRRS, which includes measuring our fundraising readiness and preparing plans for a multiphase campaign. This is a great start that will allow us to leverage additional support for the NRRS. However, it is vital that, as part of the restructuring process that it is currently undergoing, the CLA affirm once again, that research will remain a core priority for the association.

I am most grateful to our key partners, the CLA, the Canadian Respiratory Health Professionals and the CIHR, for the support they have shown for the NRRS. Thanks as well to past presidents, including Denis O’Donnell and George Fox, to CTS Research Committee Chair, Andrew Halayko and to CLA Director of Research & Knowledge Translation Anne Van Dam and CTS Director Janet Sutherland, who have all contributed so much of their time and expertise to the development of the NRRS.

With their help, and that of all of our partners, we will succeed in keeping the NRRS at the top of our agenda – where it belongs. Why? Because the NRRS matters – a great deal – to CTS members and to respiratory health in Canada.

Respectfully submitted,
Robin G McFadden MD FRCPC
President, Canadian Thoracic Society