[2024-02-15] Ovarian Cancer Canada appears at health committee

This afternoon, I sat down to watch a few minutes of Monday's proceedings of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health when it met to continue its study of women's health. I had intended to watch only the opening remarks by Tania Vrionis, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Canada, and Valérie Dinh, OCC's Quebec Regional Director, but I ended up watching the entire two-hour session. (I'll share more on the proceedings once the transcript is available.)

Among other things, Tania and Valérie talked about the $10 million over five years that the Government of Canada had entrusted to Ovarian Cancer Canada in 2019. The money was to fund innovative research to improve ovarian cancer outcomes. As per its submission to the committee, Ovarian Cancer Cancer leveraged an additional $4.5 million in funds from two provinces (Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan) and two not-for-profit research organizations (IRICoR and the Cancer Research Society).

In its submission and opening remarks at the Committee, Ovarian Cancer Canada detailed what it has achieved with the $14.5 million:
  • Funded 25 projects on ovarian cancer research models, which will support future discoveries for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of all types of ovarian cancer.
  • Funded 13 pre-clinical studies on novel treatment approaches for ovarian cancer (one of which led to the creation of a spin-off company dedicated to the development of immune-based cancer treatments).
  • Funded 5 early-phase clinical trials, including one focused on a rare type of ovarian cancer.
  • Launched a targeted competition jointly with the Cancer Research Society to fund 2 translational research projects.
  • Created an ovarian cancer research consortium consisting of more than 250 members, including more than 70 clinicians and representation from academic centres in 8 provinces.
  • Established a national team of more than 20 Patient Partners in Research from 7 provinces, who bring the patient voice to all research activities.
  • Provided partial or full funding for more than 75 research personnel.
One of the statistics Tania shared with the committee and that I never tire of hearing was this one: just over 25 years ago, Canada had only 3 scientists dedicated to research on ovarian cancer, but today, "because of Ovarian Cancer Canada’s efforts to attract leading minds to this field and provide the raw materials researchers need, Canada’s ovarian cancer research community is 250+ strong and growing."

In addition to Tania and Valérie, the committee heard from Dr. Gillian Hanley (Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of British Columbia), Dr. Jessica McAlpine (Professor and Division Head of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of British Columbia), and Dr. Shannon Salvador (President-Elect of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology of Canada). All presentations were well done and closely followed their submissions: Ovarian Cancer Canada submission, University of British Columbia submission and the Society of Gynecologic Oncology of Canada submission.

I was not only impressed by the presentations and responses of all the women who addressed the Standing Committee on Health, but also encouraged by the non-partisan way the members of the Committee posed their questions and thanked the witnesses for their time and work. I support the calls for additional funding for research into ovarian cancer and other gynecologic cancers so that these illnesses are prevented and, if not prevented, diagnosed early and treated effectively.