A bold, aspirational, and achievable vision

For the first time, BC has a shared vision for clinical trials — one that reflects a future in which clinical trials investments maximize benefits for all British Columbians.

Clinical Trials British Columbia created the vision using feedback and insights from more than 170 people across the province, and it is endorsed by the BC Ministry of Health.

Together, BC’s clinical trials community is building on strengths and addressing gaps and challenges with the common goal of system and organizational change.

A robust, innovative, coordinated, and person-centred clinical trials ecosystem improving health and economic outcomes for British Columbians.

Why now?

Supporting infrastructure for clinical trials varies across BC’s research sites, institutes and health authorities. Focusing on capacity building, developing talent, improving infrastructure and highlighting BC’s excellence in clinical trials, our efforts are aligned with BC’s Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing Strategy and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Best Practices for Clinical Trials. Together with various partners, we are addressing pivotal priorities and ensuring BC remains at the cutting edge of clinical research.

How does the vision impact BC?

A provincial vision that focuses clinical trials ecosystem actions:

  • Builds greater connections between research and care
  • Increases early adoption of new and promising innovations to further improve health outcomes for BC patients
  • Increases capacity for clinical trials to attract more trials to the province
  • Creates more high-skilled jobs in the conduct and delivery of clinical trials
  • Attracts more economic investment that supports growth and development of the provincial life sciences sector
  • Enhances BC’s research profile on the international stage

What can I do?

The clinical trials community in BC continues to come together to amplify strengths, tackle challenges, and drive transformational changes. The community needs collaborative and multi-partner engagement across BC’s entire life sciences sector to realize this shared provincial vision.

Engage with us

We’re seeking your input. To discuss how we might work together to advance the vision or let us know what you are doing to advance clinical trials capacity, please contact info@clinicaltrialsbc.ca.

Updates and events

B.C. strengthens clinical research bringing more jobs, better care to people

Better access to new life-saving medical treatments is coming with the launch of an eight-bed clinical trials unit (CTU) at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital in Vancouver.

Read more

Positioning BC’s health research system for the future: Clinical trials

Building on its existing portfolio of programs and resources, Clinical Trials British Columbia will coordinate a unified, province-wide approach to advancing clinical trials. It will enact recommendations of the situational analysis report where possible to build BC’s competitiveness nationally and internationally.

Read more

New inpatient clinical trials unit launches at Vancouver General Hospital, advancing blood cancer treatment across B.C.

Vancouver Coastal Health has launched British Columbia’s first dedicated inpatient clinical trials unit for early-phase therapies in blood cancers. Located at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), the new Hematology Research Unit will deliver revolutionary therapies — including first-in-human treatments such as advanced immunotherapies like CAR T-cell therapy — to patients with relapsed or treatment-resistant hematological diseases.

Read more

Advancing BC’s vision for clinical trials: a year of progress

Clinical Trials British Columbia has strengthened BC’s clinical trials landscape. Take a look at our progress in streamlining business services, enhancing infrastructure and developing a model for single ethics review for multi-jurisdictional research.
Read more

Past updates

Health Research BC will advance the design of a research ethics board service that will further streamline research processes and ensure health research meets the highest standards to improve the health of people in BC. Learn more

Health Research BC hosted a roundtable last November to advance the vision. Three priorities were selected to shape progress in BC’s clinical trials ecosystem for the coming year. Learn more

BC is investing in a new clinical trials unit which will allow biotech companies to conduct Phase 1 clinical trials in the province. Health Research BC is working with partners to support initiatives that increase research talent and expand clinical trial capacity to improve the health of British Columbians. Learn more

Health Research BC has contracted an economic analysis of clinical trials in BC. We aim to help inform next steps for expanding clinical trials capacity by capturing the direct impact of clinical research activities, the broader impact on BC’s economy, and compare the analysis to the findings from 10 years ago. Learn more

As part of the first step towards shaping a long-term clinical trials strategy for Canada, The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is proposing elements that will comprise their clinical trials strategy. If you would like to share your thoughts and suggestions, send your feedback to clinicaltrials-essaiscliniques@cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Learn more

CIHR released their report based on consultations with partners and members of the clinical trials community across Canada that took place in Fall 2022. Clinical Trials BC participated in the consultation and the shared vision of clinical trials in BC helped inform our response. Learn more

The Government of BC released the new Life Science and Biomanufacturing Strategy to position British Columbia as a global hub for life sciences and biomanufacturing, and as a leading centre for commercial scale biopharmaceutical and medical manufacturing. The shared vision strongly aligns with the strategy’s pillar of expanding clinical trials capacity in the province. Learn more