Established by the President of the Royal Society of Canada in April 2020, the RSC Task Force on COVID-19 was mandated to provide evidence-informed perspectives on major societal challenges in response to and recovery from COVID-19.
The Task Force established a series of Working Groups to rapidly develop Policy Briefings, with the objective of supporting policy makers with evidence to inform their decisions.
Overview of "Health Research System Recovery: Strengthening Canada’s Health Research System After the COVID-19 Pandemic"
The COVID-19 pandemic tested health research systems. Although rapid research and evidence use took place, the pandemic revealed gaps and inefficiencies in the health research system. Together, the Royal Society of Canada Working Group on Health Research System Recovery, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Health Research BC, and the Knowledge Translation Program at St. Michael’s Hospital partnered to develop actionable recommendations that a range of organizations can act on, individually and collectively, to strengthen Canada’s health research system in the short, medium and long-term. These recommendations were based on knowledge exchange sessions and surveys that took place between August 2022 and October 2023 with participants from G7 countries as well as Australia and New Zealand. Participants included leadership from health research funding agencies; leadership from research institutes; health, public health, and social care policymakers; researchers; and members of the public.
Authors of the Report
Sharon E. Straus, FRSC, Chair, Unity Health Toronto, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute
Robyn Beckett, Unity Health Toronto, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute
Christine Fahim, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Learning Health Systems
Negin Pak, Unity Health Toronto, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute
Danielle Kasperavicius, Unity Health Toronto, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute
Tammy Clifford, Chair, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Learning Health Systems
Bev Holmes, Chair, Michael Smith Health Research BC
For further information or media requests, contact Paige Beveridge, Communications Manager, at (613) 991-6990 / pbeveridge@rsc-src.ca.
This report has also been published in the FACETS collection of RSC Policy Briefings. The report is available here.
