Accelerating clinical trials to bring new treatments and technologies to Albertans

Breakthroughs in medical technology don’t happen overnight. Innovations in health technology must be carefully tested to ensure they are safe and effective before they can make their way into clinics. The more efficient that testing is, the sooner it can benefit Albertans.

Clinical trials are essential research studies that evaluate drugs, medical devices, and new healthcare technologies before they reach the market. They can also affect how quickly new innovations can move from development into patient care. Clinics trials are a competitive industry that requires time and innovation to keep new technologies moving from ideation to where they are most needed, into patient care.

The Alberta Fast-Track to Accelerate Start-up of Clinical Trials (FAST) Program is a coordinated provincial initiative designed to speed up how quickly clinical trials can get started. This initiative is led by the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary, in collaboration with Acute Care Alberta.

Alberta Innovates is investing $322,000 into Alberta FAST, specifically into the improvement of clinical trial start-up times at the Universities of Alberta and Calgary. The goal is to make the start-up process four times faster, meaning a clinical trial could start its testing within as little as seven weeks.

Investing in Alberta FAST is an opportunity to position Alberta as a national leader in clinical trial efficiency, innovation, and competitiveness. Improving the efficacy of clinical trials also improves health outcomes, access to new treatments, and health system performance, benefitting both patients and the economy. They also attract industry investment, create jobs, and support local research.

"The global clinical trials industry is highly competitive, and Alberta has a major opportunity to attract more investment, create high-value jobs, and give patients earlier access to new treatments and technologies,” says Raja Mita, Interim Vice President of One Health at Alberta Innovates. “Through our partnership with the Universities of Alberta and Calgary, we are working to reduce clinical trial start-up times and strengthen Alberta’s position as a leading destination for clinical research.”

Clinical Trials Alberta is a collaborative initiative managed by Alberta Innovates that builds the provincial capacity and capabilities for conducting high-quality clinical trials. The members include the Universities of Alberta and Calgary, the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Cross Cancer Institute, and provincial health agencies.

For more information on Clinical Trials Alberta, please reach out to Ryan Mercer, Director, Clinical Trial Innovation, Alberta Innovates.

For questions related to AB-FAST, please reach out to Sabine Moritz, Executive Director of AB-FAST.