May 25, 2020 - Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of study participants, the University of Calgary has temporarily suspended enrolment into the Alberta HOPE COVID-19 Trial looking into the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as an early intervention for COVID-19 until results from a WHO study and others that are ongoing can be reviewed. Follow-up and monitoring of patients enrolled in the trial will continue. We'll keep you informed, posting updates as we receive more information.

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Every year on May 20th the Alberta Clinical Research Consortium (ACRC) joins in celebrating International Clinical Trials Day (ICTD) to help raise awareness of the value and importance of conducting clinical trials, with a spotlight on the activities occurring within Alberta. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an increased interest by the general public in clinical trials and the process by which they lead to the discovery, effectiveness and safety of drugs and devices.  

Alberta's teams have mobilized with speed and cooperation across the province to research COVID.  It is a testament to our efforts supporting high quality, integrated and efficient clinical health research over the past decade.  Our ACRC partners make this possible.

Alberta Innovates supports the advance of clinical health research providing funding, ethical oversight and supports for the conduct of clinical trials.  

This year, we had the pleasure of hearing from: 

  • Dr. Michael Hill, a member of the ACRC's Executive Committee, and co-investigator on the recently launched HOPE clinical trial testing HCQ's potential against COVID-19.  
  • Dr. Anmol Kapoor, a member of the ACRC's Clinical Health Research in the Community working group and Medical Director, Advanced Cardiology and CHARM clinic, conducting clinical health research & clinical trials in Calgary. 

Clinical trials are important to all Albertans.  I'd invite you to take a look at the information below, watch the videos, engage with us on Twitter, Facebook and Linked In and join the conversation.  

In health,

Tim Murphy, VP, Health Innovations

Alberta Innovates

Doing better for COVID-19 patients

Alberta Innovates Executive Director, Health Platforms, Dr. Tammy Mah-Fraser, caught up with Dr. Michael Hill to find out why he thought clinical trials are important.

Clinical trials in your community

Dr. Anmol Kapoor is a community-based, research cardiologist who established The Community Heart Failure Assessment, Rehabilitation and Management (CHARM) Clinic to keep more patients out of hospital, instead receiving specialized treatment at home. Hear his thoughts on the importance of clinical trials:

Partners in our success

Thank you to our many partners who help ensure clinical trials are successful in Alberta:

Alberta Clinical Research Consortium

AB HOPE COVID-19 clinical trial

Be The Cure

Special thanks to N2 for the graphics and info on this page.

Our partners at Be The Cure created this commercial to help share the importance of clinical trials in Alberta.