Canada remains at the forefront of MS research around the world. Through generous contributions from donors, corporate sponsors, and fervent fundraisers, the MS Society of Canada has invested over $170 million in research since its inception in 1948.
This investment has led to significant results for people affected by MS. More specifically, MS Society-funded studies have gone the distance in areas such as imaging, diagnosis, genetics, tissue repair and rehabilitation.
Let me share with you a story of a young woman diagnosed 20 years ago at the age of 20, at a time when there were very few treatment options available to her. She quickly progressed in her disability, becoming wheelchair-bound and unable to continue to work. Today, I'm happy to report that we witnessed her getting married, which included her walking down the aisle in heels, and she is back at work as a contributing member to Canada's economy. This story has a happy ending because the MS Society funded a stem cell clinical trial in the early 2000s, which she was a part of.
Although we have witnessed first-hand the real-life benefits of funding research for the person living with MS and their families, the MS Society continues to fund fundamental research, as we still don't know what causes MS or how we can prevent it in the future.
Most importantly, we need more treatments for progressive MS. This past year, we announced the funding of an international clinical trial in which the lead researcher is based here in Canada. The trial is focused on bringing immediate intervention to people living with the most debilitating form of MS—progressive MS.
We recognize that we are unable to do this on our own. Hence, the MS Society believes strongly in investing in research through collaboration and partnerships here in Canada and globally. However, we believe that there are important improvements that can be made to federally funded research to deliver better outcomes for Canadians.
We recommend that federally funded research include fundamental research, and include health charities as key partners of government, universities, and private industry.
Additionally, we recommend creating a framework for enhanced coordination among these four groups to better leverage health charity research investments with additional public and private investment dollars for research.
Finally, as part of the collective voice of the Health Charities Coalition of Canada, we recommend that national health charities do not provide funding for the indirect costs of research, such as the cost to the institutions of hosting research programs and laboratories. We believe that is the role of the government.
Canadians rely on advances in fundamental research to explore questions about how a disease develops, determine whether a new treatment may be effective, and help to identify optimal care. Investments made in research serve the dual purpose of not only impacting health outcomes and promoting innovation, but also of stimulating the economy through employment opportunities that lead to the commercialization of products and the development of intellectual property.
For the MS Society, turning research findings into life-saving outcomes for people living with MS is a top priority. This is why we recently partnered with the Brain Canada Foundation and Biogen Canada in a multi-million-dollar study to understand the MS population in Canada over time. It is only through these important innovative partnerships across different sectors that we can achieve a better understanding of what MS is and how treatments can impact Canadians living with MS in the community.
The Canadian MS progression cohort will provide research solutions that will provide hope not only for those living with MS here in Canada but around the world. To ensure that momentum in MS research continues, we must invest in the next generation of MS researchers. The MS Society of Canada annually invests in young researchers through grant funding in their graduate and postgraduate research. Funding researchers and providing them with educational opportunities across the academic and clinical spectrum enables training for the next generation of MS leaders while reinforcing their passion in the field.