ACT

Deadline for applications is noon (12:00 pm) EST August 16, 2024

Currently, researchers who wish to conduct a multicentre randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Canada are required to get multiple research ethics boards (REB) approvals across the different research centres. This leads to lengthy delays in the approval process, and can delay the start times of RCTs in Canada.

Other countries worldwide (e.g., Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Spain, United Kingdom, United States) have adopted a single national REB approval process to improve the efficiency of conducting multicentre RCTs and avoid unnecessary duplication of work.

As part of ACT Canada’s mandate to improve the ecosystem for conducting clinical trials in Canada, ACT is holding an open competition to select a group to set up and run a sustainable pan-Canadian, distributive, single research ethics board (REB) review and approval process with strict timelines, for the initiation and conduct of multicentre randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Canada.

Applicants can request up to $250,000 (CAN) in funding to help set up, initiate, and conduct the pan-Canadian, distributive, single REB review and approval process with strict timelines.

Eligibility:

For an application to be eligible, it must fulfill the following criteria.

• The group’s leadership positions must include an individual from at least 6 of Canada’s provinces and territories.
• The group submitting the application must have prior experience serving on or running an REB in Canada.

Deadline for applications is noon (12:00 pm) EST January 29, 2024

ACT-AEC Canada is holding an open competition to fund the development of new or existing trial networks in areas of need. Trial networks bring together relevant stakeholders (e.g., researchers, patient partners) and are focused on disease states, patient populations, or interventions. A total of $900,000 is available to fund 6 new networks (i.e., $150,000 for each successful network application) in the following streams:

1. Stream One – Mental Health – a new network focused on mental health RCTs.
2. Stream Two – Other Areas of Need – new trial networks in any demonstrated area of need.

CANet Review Deadline: Monday, June 19, 2023

A total of $2.0 million is available for this RFA. The maximum requested budget for any application is $400,000. Although the funding available may not be sufficient for a full-scale study, phase 2 and pilot or Vanguard trials to assess, for example, safety, recruitment potential, and feasibility are welcome.

CANet Review Deadline: Friday, May 19, 2023

This ACT “Call For Proposals: Advances in the Conduct of Randomized Controlled Trials” consists of 2 separate streams.

A total of $1.9 million is available for this RFA. The maximum requested budget for any application in Stream 1 is $200,000, and the maximum requested budget for any application in Stream 2 is $100,000.

Stream 1: Encourage Randomized Trials That Use Non-traditional and Efficient Designs and Approaches

For Stream 1, ACT is requesting for proposals to fund pilot trials and the vanguard phase of larger trials that use alternate designs and approaches. Any RCT proposed in this stream should be designed to generate robust results with a minimal risk of bias.

Stream 2: Generate High-quality Evidence on Methods to Improve the Conduct of Trials

For Stream 2, ACT is requesting for proposals that test interventions to improve the conduct of trials. If proposing a SWAT nested within a parent RCT, details confirming the parent trial is active, funded, and registered must be provided.

ACT WEBINAR: Studies Within a Trial (SWATs)

To support this RFA and in partnership with CAN-TRAIN, ACT will hold a webinar on Studies Within a Trial on April 20^th at 7am PST | 8am MST | 10am EST | 11am AST. The webinar will be led by Dr. Adwoa Parker, who leads the Trial Forge Studies Within A Trial (SWATs) Centre at The University of York (UK).

Click here to download the webinar announcement.

A direct link to register for this webinar can also be found here.

ACT has recently announced the first Call for Proposals: Supporting the Completion of High-Impact Randomized Controlled Trials.

A total of $2 million dollars is available for this competition. The maximum funding per application is $200,000.

CANet will only be allowed to support 3 submissions in this competition.

If you intend to apply, you must send your full application to CANet by Friday, March 24, 2023 (11:59 PM Pacific Time) to Kevin O’Neil at [email protected].

Those selected to proceed to the full application will be provided with a letter of support from CANet before ACT’s deadline of April 3, 2023.