PERSPECTIVES ON THE NATURAL HEALTH PRODUCT REGULATIONS AND LICENSING CRISIS: A CITIZENS REPORT FOR YOUR MP 

Linked here is your first 308 Freedom Network package. 

This report looks at the situation facing Canadians due to the 2004 NHP Regulations which contains facts, figures and information that your MP must know, to continue making this an election issue. 

We have eleven days left in this election campaign and all the other issues have been aired. 

It's time for the natural health community to emerge, strong and fast, as the voice to swing this election.

If you have been in any doubt as to the seriousness of the crisis we face, or have been at all hazy on the details, read this package. It provides some history, then makes the case for the suspension of the 2004 NHP Regulations. It proposes solutions. The facts are presented and discussed both in summary and in detail. The report may appear long, but it is organized to be easily read and understood.

ELECTION NEWS

Thank you to everyone who has been using the election and the support material from our website to bring the issue of the NHP Regulations to the attention of your MPs and local candidates. You know, as we do, that this is the time to speak because it is one of the few times when they will really listen. We have been receiving your reports of meetings and conversations. We have been delighted to assist those of you looking for specific advice when you've emailed us personally. Many of you have been successful in securing meetings with MPs who only have Health Canada's written materials to guide their thinking and have asked you for more information. 

USING THE MP PACKAGE

We have discovered during previous campaigns that MPs are more resistant to some approaches than others, and that there are some types of contact that they are more likely to respond to. If we are to make the actions of Health Canada an election issue, this package must physically cross your MP’s desk as many times as possible in the next eleven days. It must also be presented and followed up in a way that makes it impossible to be ignored. Every subscriber in your riding is receiving the package. We need every NHPPA member in your riding to utilize this package to its maximum potential.

SUSTAIN THIS ACTION STARTING TODAY. HERE’S WHAT WE WANT YOU TO DO:

·         Download and print out a hard copy of the report

·         Read it carefully

·         As you read, use a highlighter to mark any sections or phrases which resonate particularly with you, your experience or your interests

·         To this copy add a hand-written, signed note from yourself, telling your MP that the report contains vital information about an election issue that matters to you. Ask your MP to read it, paying specific attention to the sections you have marked. Let your MP know that you will be calling or emailing to discuss the report in a few days

·         Put the stapled report and your letter into an envelope and mail/bus/cab/drive it to your MP’s constituency office

·         Tell whoever receives it that you will be calling to talk it over with your MP shortly

·         A day or two later, telephone to ask your MP if the report has been read

·         If you receive no reply or a negative response, follow your call up via email/phone call/fax demanding that your MP respond to the information you have delivered

·         Follow up via email/phone call/fax every other day

·         If necessary, take/send/deliver a second copy. Email a copy to your MP as well!

·         Keep the pressure up until you have the conversation or until the election, whichever comes sooner

MAKE THIS A REAL ELECTION ISSUE BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE

We need to flood every candidate’s office with the facts, in a form they can’t ignore. If every copy of this report has been annotated differently by every voter in the 308 Freedom Network riding, no-one can accuse you and your fellow activists of being computer generated numbers. 

TIME  TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: IT STARTS HERE!

Thank you. 

When you subscribed to the 308 Freedom Network you became part of the vanguard to take full advantage of this election and your MP’s vulnerability.

As you help us to take the initiative, you are a vital part of the movement to change the future.

Please forward this message to anyone you know who wants to make a change.

Protecting access, 

Natural Health Products Protection Association

#2-953 Laval Crescent, Kamloops, BC V2C 5P4 P: 250.377.4930  F: 250.377.4990

E: info@nhppa.org  W: www.nhppa.org & www.charterofhealthfreedom.org

Join NHPPA on Facebook | Follow NHPPA on Twitter | Watch us on YouTube

Health Research - Weekly News

Contents

1) Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR):  Job Opportunity   2) SPHERU News (see attachment)   The information included in this email message is also posted at the following URL: http://www.uregina.ca/research/Excellence/archives.shtml
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *   1) Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR): Job Opportunity   Scientific Director, Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health Closing date: April 29, 2011   http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/43201.html http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/f/43201.html   ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *   2) SPHERU News   Please see the attached document.   ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *   Subscription Information

Please feel free to distribute copies of this bulletin. If your e-mail address is changing, or you want to discontinue your subscription to the weekly health e-alerts, please visit the ORS website: http://www.uregina.ca/research/Excellence/listservs.shtml   ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *   Sarah Savage, PMP
Grant Research Facilitator
Office of Research Services,
Research and Innovation Centre, Rm 109
University of Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada S4S 0A2
Phone: (306) 337.2479; Fax: (306) 585.4893
Email: Sarah.Savage@uregina.ca  

Health Research - Weekly News

Contents

1) Arthritis Society: Moving Beyond Arthritis Forum   2) Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR):     a) CIHR and NSERC: Enhancements to the Collaborative Health Research Projects (CHRP) Program     b) Nominated Principal Investigators to Begin Reporting on Research Results as of March 31, 2011     c) CIHR-III Newsletter     d) CIHR HIV/AIDS Committees - Call for Nominations     e) Pre-Announcement for CIHR Community-Based Primary Healthcare Research Initiative   3) e-Health 2011   The information included in this email message is also posted at the following URL: http://www.uregina.ca/research/Excellence/archives.shtml
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *   1) Arthritis Society: Moving Beyond Arthritis Forum    Moving Beyond Arthritis Forum - A free information session for people living with arthritis
Topics Include: Physical Activity and Arthritis; Arthritis Medications; Arthritis Hot Topics
When: Tuesday, April 19, 2011 (Pre-registration is essential) Presentation: 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Speakers: Scott Anderson - Physical Therapist; Tony Chow - Pharmacist and Dr. A. Milne - Rheumatologist Where: United Way Community Room - 1440 Scarth Street, Regina To register please contact Kelly at 06.352.3312 ext 222   Funded by: The Co-Operators   ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * 2) Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR):    a) CIHR and NSERC: Enhancements to the Collaborative Health Research Projects (CHRP) Program  

The Collaborative Health Research Projects (CHRP) Program supports focused interdisciplinary collaborative research projects involving any field of the natural sciences or engineering and any field of the health sciences. Proposed research projects should be innovative and lead to health benefits for Canadians, more effective health services, and/or economic development in health-related areas. All applicant teams are required to demonstrate how they will engage and collaborate with a knowledge/technology user organization that could benefit from the research results. Typically, support will be for up to three years for defined projects with clear milestones and decision points.

Objectives

In the context of improved health for Canadians, the following are the objectives of the CHRP Program:

* Translate research results to knowledge/technology users and other stakeholders; 

* Encourage the NSERC and CIHR research communities to collaborate and integrate their expertise; 

* Advance interdisciplinary research that lead to knowledge and technologies that are useful for improving the health of Canadians;

* Train highly qualified personnel in collaborative and interdisciplinary research relevant to health.

Changes to the CHRP Program for the 2012 Competition

(Notification of Intent due May 1, 2011)

The following program enhancements benefiting researchers and potential partners will come into effect:

* Additional program funding;

* Applicants will be required to include a knowledge/technology user organization (non-academic partner such as industry, hospitals, health charities, etc.) in their proposal;

* Ongoing research projects will be eligible for funding;

* Priority Announcements or Special Calls for Proposals for research conducted in identified target priority areas for Canada may offer additional funding opportunities.

Funds Available

From 2012-2015 there will be $25.275 million available in combined funding from NSERC and CIHR. Of this, $17.4 million ($5.8 million per year) is expected to be available for the open competition pool. Funds will also be available for projects in the following target areas:

* $6 million over three years is available from NSERC and CIHR to fund applications relevant to the development and commercialization of specific Medical Diagnostic Imaging Technologies (in addition, the National Research Council (NRC) will contribute $3 million in resources to support R&D conducted at the NRC Research Institutes);

* $900,000 is available to fund applications relevant to the Institute of Genetics in the area of Invention - Tools, Techniques and Devices;

* $450,000 is available to fund applications relevant to ongoing and upcoming Institute of Infection and Immunity strategic initiatives in the areas of transplantation, antibiotic resistance and alternatives to antimicrobials, inflammation, microbiome, and auto-immunity;

* $300,000 is available to fund applications relevant to the area of Epigenetics, Environment and Health Research through the Institute of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction;

* $225,000 is available to fund applications relevant to the Institute Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes in the area of Sodium Reduction in the Food Supply and Health.

Projects are for up to three years funding, with no maximum amount. Some priority announcements have specific eligibility requirements. Complete descriptions of these priority announcements and their specific requirements are available in the Grants Programs Overview section of the NSERC Web site (http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Professors-Professeurs/grants-subs/CHRP-PRCS_eng.asp).

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *   b)  Nominated Principal Investigators to Begin Reporting on Research Results as of March 31, 2011  

As of March 31, 2011, CIHR will be asking Nominated Principal Investigators (NPIs) to begin reporting their research results data via its new Research Reporting System (RRS). This tool has been put in place to obtain richer evidence on the effectiveness of CIHR funding programs and also to advance CIHR’s Knowledge Translation mandate.

RRS will be an important tool for CIHR’s accountability within the Federal Government and to Canadians for the funds it provides for health research. CIHR will also use the RRS data for a variety of internal uses to better manage the process of funding health research.

As well, the agency plans to make selected RRS data available to partners, the research community and the general public. This will help demonstrate the impact of CIHR-funded research and support CIHR's open access policy. The publicly available data will also assist the research community in a number of ways by:

* avoiding duplication of research; 

* identifying possible collaborations, training opportunities and partnerships; 

* identifying research trends, gaps and opportunities.

All NPIs on Open Grants and selected priority announcements where the authority to spend funds expires as of March 31, 2011 or later will have to submit reports via RRS. CIHR will inform the affected NPIs via e-mail on their requirement to complete a report. Only essential data will be requested, and CIHR expects that the average time to complete a report will be one hour.

NPIs will have 18 months after the end of the grant period to complete their reports, and CIHR will provide on-going support to assist NPIs in this task.

Where possible, data will be pre-populated to minimize input burden. Linkages with the Common CV and PubMed will be in place by Fall 2011.

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *   c) CIHR-III Newsletter   Please see attached document.   ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *   d) CIHR HIV/AIDS Committees - Call for Nominations    * CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Advisory Committee: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/43276.html

The CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity is seeking qualified individuals to replace one member of the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Advisory Committee (CHARAC) and invites nominations for potential candidates in the category of HIV/AIDS community representative.

At the present time, nominations are being sought for: 1 community representative: nominations for individuals living with HIV/AIDS are encouraged.

Nominations of individuals for CHARAC membership should include a brief (250 word) rationale for the nomination and a short biographical sketch or curriculum vitae. The rationale should make reference to qualifications, expertise and/or previous contributions to the Canadian HIV/AIDS community, and should indicate the perspective that the nominee will bring to the work of the Committee. Contact information for both the nominator and the nominee(s) must be included with the nomination documents.

Deadline for receipt of nominations is Friday April 15, 2011

Nominations should be addressed to:

Andrew Rajhathy - Project Officer, CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative
CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity
160 Elgin St., 9th Floor
Address Locator 4809A
Ottawa, ON K1A 0W9
E-mail: andrew.rajhathy@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

* CIHR HIV/AIDS Community-Based Research Steering Committee: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/43277.html

The CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity is seeking qualified individuals to replace three members of its Community-Based Research (CBR) Steering Committee.

At the present time, nominations are being sought for: 1 HIV/AIDS Aboriginal community representative; and 2 HIV/AIDS General Stream CBR researcher representatives

Nominations for individuals for the CBR Steering Committee are invited from all stakeholders and must include a brief (250 word) rationale for the nomination and a short biographical sketch or curriculum vitae. The rationale should make reference to qualifications, expertise and/or previous contributions to HIV/AIDS CBR in an Aboriginal or in a General Stream setting, and indicate the perspective that the nominee will bring to the work of the Committee. Contact information for both the nominator and the nominee(s) must be included with the nomination documents.

Deadline for receipt of nominations is Friday April 15, 2011

Nominations should be addressed to:

Suzete Dos Santos - Associate, HIV/AIDS Research Initiative , CIHR-Institute of Infection and Immunity
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street,
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9
Email: suzete.dossantos@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * e) Pre-Announcement for CIHR Community-Based Primary Healthcare Research Initiative  

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (CIHR-IHSPR) and its partners are launching a major ten-year initiative to fund research that supports the delivery of high-quality community-based primary healthcare (CBPHC) across Canada. A strong foundation of research evidence in CBPHC - the first and most frequent point of contact with the healthcare system - is key in helping to achieve better health outcomes, improved equity, an overall enhanced patient experience, and other system-wide benefits.

The CIHR CBPHC Initiative will support researchers to conduct original research, build capacity, and translate evidence for uptake into practice and policy through two major funding tools:

CBPHC Team Grants will support inter-disciplinary, cross-jurisdictional teams of researchers to conduct excellent research, to provide superior research training and mentorship, and to engage in knowledge translation activities.

The first launch of CBPHC Team Grants will take place in Fall 2011. Successful Teams will receive funding of up to $500,000 per year for up to five years to address the following research priority areas: Better Systems: Chronic Disease Prevention and Management in Community-Based Primary Healthcare; and Access to Appropriate Community-Based Primary Healthcare for Vulnerable Populations.

In order to foster the development of prospective teams, CBPHC Planning Grants will be launched in April 2011. Offered under the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grants program, these $25,000 Planning Grants will support researchers to come together to build active and meaningful collaborations and to understand the existing CBPHC research landscape, including needs and priorities, before embarking on a full CBPHC Team Grant application. (Note: Teams who plan to apply for a CBPHC Team Grant are not required to apply for a CBPHC Planning Grant).

CBPHC Scientist Awards will provide outstanding CBPHC providers with support to conduct, translate, and use practice-relevant research. Generally modelled after the CIHR Clinician Scientist Award, the CBPHC Scientist Award will allow CBPHC providers with a high aptitude for research to investigate issues that present in their day-to-day work and to subsequently translate results into practice. The first launch of CBPHC Scientist Awards will take place in 2012.

Stay informed: Sign up for the CIHR-IHSPR eBulletin to receive updates about CBPHC funding launches, information sessions, and other important news. We encourage you to contact us at IHSPR@cihr-irsc.gc.ca if you have any questions about the CIHR Strategic Initiative in CBPHC.

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * 3) e-Health 2011 May 29 – June 1, Toronto, Ontario Website: http://www.e-healthconference.com/

It is with pleasure that we invite you to e-Health 2011: Enabling Healthy Outcomes, being held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from May 29 to June 1, 2011. The conference will be held in the heart of Toronto at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building located at 222 Bremner Blvd., Toronto, Ontario M5V 3L9. We encourage you to join us for another informative and enjoyable e-Health Conference.

e-Health 2011 will continue the tradition of providing:

• An excellent conference program filled with practical experiences and lessons from those on the ground
• The largest e-Health event and tradeshow in Canada
• Unequalled social event and networking opportunities
• The only Canadian Interoperability Showcase

For more information, see: http://www.e-healthconference.com/   ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *   Subscription Information

Please feel free to distribute copies of this bulletin. If your e-mail address is changing, or you want to discontinue your subscription to the weekly health e-alerts, please visit the ORS website: http://www.uregina.ca/research/Excellence/listservs.shtml   ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *   Sarah Savage, PMP
Grant Research Facilitator
Office of Research Services,
Research and Innovation Centre, Rm 109
University of Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada S4S 0A2
Phone: (306) 337.2479; Fax: (306) 585.4893
Email: Sarah.Savage@uregina.ca  

Royal Society of Canada: Expert Panel

Environmental and Health Impacts of Canada's Oil Sands Industry

http://www.rsc.ca/documents/expert/RSC%20report%20complete%20secured%209Mb.pdf