The latest developments in Canadian arthritis research as well as reports on initiatives to speed up arthritis research, drug testing and drug approval will be discussed at The Canadian Arthritis Network (CAN)'s Annual Conference 2000.
The conference, Arthritis Research - From Bench to Bedside, will be held in Toronto from June 17 to 20 at the Courtyard by Marriott, 475 Yonge St.
CAN was established in October, 1998 to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic technologies and provide innovative services in partnership with government and industry to enhance the quality of life for people with arthritis.
The symposium will create a unique platform for discussion as researchers and clinicians from a variety of disciplines gather to find solutions to a disease affecting over four million Canadians.
Conference program highlights include:
- new approaches to looking at the severity of arthritis, providing a more detailed picture than traditional x-rays and a non-invasive alternative to arthroscopy
- the emergence of new pharmacological developments that modify the disease rather than treat the symptoms
- innovative strategies to repair cartilage defects associated with arthritis, using bioengineering techniques
- the growing importance of arthritis patient registries in testing theories and evaluating new treatments
- developing cost-effective guidelines and the monitoring, planning and delivery of health care services
-an explanation of CAN's Clinical Trial Group that speeds up clinical trials and increases the competitive advantage for Canada through its up-to-date online data base of patients with rheumatoid arthritis
-the role of various agents in preventing or reversing the loss of bone and cartilage
-the latest studies on arthritis and genetics and how this could be used to identify people with a predisposition to arthritis
-the role of consumers in arthritis research
The Canadian Arthritis Network is part of the federal Networks of Centres of Excellence, Canada's flagship and technology program. An integral part of the Network is its commitment to funding applied collaborative research projects.