About 9th Annual Patient-Centered Approach to Clinical Trials Conference

CCC has hosted this seminal pan-cancer clinical trials conference over the last 8 years, uniting clinical trial networks, researchers, industry, academics, trial sponsors, HTA agencies, Health Canada, and national and international cancer patient groups to mention a few.

Over the course of the past several years, we have made considerable progress in fostering patient and patient group partnerships among researchers and stakeholders engaged in cancer clinical trials and their engagement in the clinical trial continuum with a view to increasing access to trials with endpoints that are meaningful to patients.

This year, join us for our 9th Annual Patient-Centered Approach to Clinical Trials Conference where we will explore 'RESEARCH IS CARE AND CARE IS RESEARCH: Unlocking faster innovation for better access, outcomes and hope’.

Who should attend?

Co-chairs

See Bio

Barry Stein

President & CEO
Colorectal Cancer Canada
See Bio

Dr. Stéphanie Michaud

President & CEO
BioCanRx
See Bio

Michael Duong, Ph.D.

Head of Innovation
Hoffmann-La Roche
See Bio

Stephen Sundquist

Executive Director
3CTN
See Bio

Dr. Rebecca Auer

CEO & Scientific Director
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

MODERATOR

See Bio

Anne Marie Wright

President
Elements Strategy

SPEAKERS

See Bio

Kurt Lackovic

CEO
Cancer Trials Australia
See Bio

Dr. Stuart Edmonds

EVP
Canadian Cancer Society
See Bio

Dr. Rebecca Barnes

Executive Director
Network of Networks (N2)
See Bio

Allen Chankowsky

Acclaimed author, international speaker
A resilient 34-year cancer survivor.
See Bio

Martine Elias

Chief Executive Officer
Myeloma Canada
See Bio

Dr. Dean Fergusson

Deputy Scientific Director & Senior Scientist
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
See Bio

Michelle Audoin

CCTG Patient Representative
Patient Advocate
See Bio

Dr. Stuart Nicolls

Scientist
Methodological & Implementation Research (MIR) Program & Office for Patient Engagement in Research Activities (OPERA), OHRI.
See Bio

Dr. Jennifer Zelmer

President & CEO
Healthcare Excellence Canada
See Bio

Susan Marlin

President & CEO
Clinical Trials Ontario; Nominated Principal Applicant, CanReview
See Bio

Dr. Brian Canter

Assistant Research Director
Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy
See Bio

Don Husereau

Adjunct Professor of Medicine
University of Ottawa
See Bio

Dr. Chris O’Callaghan

Senior Investigator
Canadian Cancer Trials Group
See Bio

Dr. Laupacis

Consulting Editor
Canadian Medical Association Journal
See Bio

Michelle McLean

President & CEO
HealthCareCAN
See Bio

Dr. Enrique Sanz Garcia

Medical oncologist and staff physician
Princess Margaret Cancer Center

Agenda

Agenda

time icon28-10-2025 09:00 am to
09:10 am

Opening Remarks and Introductions

Opening Remarks and Introductions:  Barry Stein, President & CEO, Colorectal Cancer Canada (CCC) and Anne Marie Wright, President of Elements Strategy.

speaker headshot Anne Marie Wright
Elements Strategy
speaker headshot Barry Stein
Colorectal Cancer Canada
time icon28-10-2025 09:10 am to
09:40 am

KEYNOTE: RESEARCH OFTEN PROVIDES THE BEST OR THE ONLY TREATMENT OPTION FOR PATIENTS, AND IT ALSO PROVIDES HOPE. LAYING OUT A VISION FOR CHANGE

- What needs to evolve/change and how.   (every cancer patient has access to the best care)

- Call to Action.  Learning from Patients.  (unraveling the miracle)

Speaker:  Dr. Rebecca Auer, CEO & Scientific Director, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) Executive Vice-President Research and Innovation, The Ottawa Hospital

speaker headshot Rebecca Auer
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
time icon28-10-2025 09:40 am to
11:00 am

PANEL: EXPERTS DISCUSS THE IMPLICATIONS, BARRIERS, POTENTIAL ACTIONS RELATED TO VISION DELIVERY

- Where are we today? What does it mean to embed trials into care?   

- Why is this critically important for equitable access to care?  Discuss trial differences and  “language” – pragmatic versus interventional

Session Chair:  Dr. Rebecca Auer, CEO & Scientific Director, OHRI

Panel:  Michelle McLean, President & CEO, HealthCareCAN

Jennifer Zelmer, President & CEO, Heathcare Excellence Canada

Dr. Laupacis, Consulting Editor of CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), specialist in internal medicine

speaker headshot Rebecca Auer
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
speaker headshot Dr. Jennifer Zelmer
Healthcare Excellence Canada
speaker headshot Michelle McLean
HealthCareCAN
speaker headshot Dr. Laupacis
CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal)
time icon28-10-2025 11:00 am to
11:30 am

BREAK

time icon28-10-2025 11:30 am to
12:30 pm

PANEL: CLINICAL TRIALS PROVIDE HOPE FOR PATIENTS. HOW RESEARCH IS CARE AND CARE IS RESEARCH PUTS PATIENTS AS ACTIVE PARTNERS IN THEIR CARE

- Hope through access to innovation; the benefits of designing trials with patients and patient groups; sharing challenges and potential solutions; personal experiences. Focus of this session is “the why” 

Session Chair:  Barry Stein, President & CEO, CCC

Panel :  Michelle Audoin, CCTG Patient Representative, patient advocate

Allen Chankowsky, Acclaimed author, sought-after international speaker, and patient

Martine Elias, Chief Executive Officer, Myeloma Canada

speaker headshot Allen Chankowsky
Acclaimed author, international speaker, a resilient 34-year cancer survivor.
speaker headshot Martine Elias
Myeloma Canada
speaker headshot Barry Stein
Colorectal Cancer Canada
speaker headshot Michelle Audoin
Patient Advocate
time icon28-10-2025 12:30 pm to
01:30 pm

LUNCH AND NETWORKING

time icon28-10-2025 01:30 pm to
02:45 pm

CARE IS RESEARCH: THREE SUCCESSFUL CASE STUDIES: INNOVATION IN STUDY DESIGN AND INTEGRATION INTO CLINICAL WORKFLOW

Three speakers plus panel interaction


speaker headshot Dr. Enrique Sanz Garcia
Princess Margaret Cancer Center
time icon28-10-2025 02:45 pm to
03:00 pm

BREAK

time icon28-10-2025 03:00 pm to
04:00 pm

INNOVATING FOR IMPACT: TRANSFORMING CLINICAL TRIALS IN CANADA

- Overview with key focus on how we can build stronger health system capacity and infrastructure to embed research into care (how this recommendation is moving forward)

Panel:  Dr. Rebecca Auer, CEO & Scientific Director, OHRI

Dr. Chris O’Callaghan, Canadian Cancer Trials Group Senior Investigator

Dr. Stuart Edmonds, Executive VP, Mission, Research and Advocacy, Canadian Cancer Society

speaker headshot Stuart Edmonds
Canadian Cancer Society
speaker headshot Rebecca Auer
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
speaker headshot Dr. Chris O’Callaghan
Canadian Cancer Trials Group
time icon28-10-2025 04:00 pm to
05:00 pm

RAPID FIRE WORKSHOP

In small groups, conference participants summarize key learning, insights and potential actions for change.

time icon28-10-2025 05:00 pm to
06:30 pm

CLOSE DAY 1 and COCKTAIL RECEPTION

time icon29-10-2025 09:00 am to
09:10 am

Opening Remarks and Introductions: Barry Stein and Anne Marie Wright

speaker headshot Barry Stein
Colorectal Cancer Canada
speaker headshot Anne Marie Wright
Elements Strategy
time icon29-10-2025 09:10 am to
10:15 am

KEYNOTE: THE AUSTRALIAN FRAMEWORK

- How Australia streamlined trials, increased access, and empowered patients and clinicians (the business case for change)

- Creation of a National infrastructure for embedded trials (sets the stage for what needs to happen and how)

Presentation with Q&A:  The Australian Framework continued: Creation of a National Infrastructure for Embedded Trials

Speaker:  Kurt Lackovic, CEO, Cancer Trials Australia

speaker headshot Kurt Lackovic
Cancer Trials Australia
time icon29-10-2025 10:15 am to
11:15 am

PANEL ONE: IMPLEMENTATION DRIVERS (ENABLERS)

- Focus:  Cultural Change, Training and Ethics

Panel: Susan Marlin,  President & CEO, Clinical Trials Ontario

Rebecca Barnes,  Executive Director, N2

Dr. Stuart Nicolls,  Scientist, Methodological and Implementation Research, OHRI

speaker headshot Rebecca Barnes
Executive Director
speaker headshot Dr. Stuart Nicolls
Methodological & Implementation Research (MIR) Program & Office for Patient Engagement in Research Activities (OPERA), OHRI.
speaker headshot Susan Marlin
Clinical Trials Ontario; Nominated Principal Applicant, CanReview
time icon29-10-2025 11:15 am to
11:35 am

BREAK

time icon29-10-2025 11:35 am to
12:35 pm

PANEL TWO: IMPLEMENTATION DRIVERS (ENABLERS)

Operations, Logistics,  Data Collection, Regulatory

Panel:  Dr. Sébastien Perreault, Director of pediatric neurology program, CHU Sainte-Justine

speaker headshot Dr. Sébastien Perreault
CHU Sainte-Justine
speaker headshot Don Husereau
University of Ottawa
time icon29-10-2025 12:35 pm to
01:15 pm

LUNCH

time icon29-10-2025 01:15 pm to
02:15 pm

ADVANCING AND MODERNIZING RWE BY INTEGRATING RESEARCH AND CARE DELIVERY

- Real-world evidence (RWE) is transforming oncology by uniting research and care. This session explores how modernizing RWE—through data integration, pragmatic trials, and patient engagement—can accelerate innovation, close evidence gaps, and improve outcomes.

- Stakeholder co-ordination and participation

Speaker: Dr. Brian Cantor, Assistant Research Director at the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy

speaker headshot Dr. Brian Canter
Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy
time icon29-10-2025 02:15 pm to
03:15 pm

OPEN FORUM – WITH REaCT AS THE FOUNDATION, IDENTIFY CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS NECESSARY TO INTEGRATE RESEARCH INTO CARE

- Key stakeholder from REaCT program shares what needs to be done in the Canadian context – short, medium, long term

- Followed by an Open Forum for audience interaction. Identify tangible actions and high-level plan to move forward

Speaker:  Dr. Dean Fergusson, Deputy Scientific Director & Senior Scientist, OHRI

speaker headshot Dr. Dean Fergusson
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
time icon29-10-2025 03:15 pm to
03:45 pm

CONFERENCE WRAP UP

speaker headshot Barry Stein
Colorectal Cancer Canada

RESEARCH IS CARE AND CARE IS RESEARCH

Unlocking faster innovation for better access, outcomes and hope

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HOTEL INFORMATION

Holiday Inn & Suites Montreal Centre - Ville Ouest

1390, boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest
Montreal, Quebec H3G 0E3, Canada

View Hotel Website