CHRIMCY: A major step in the right direction

The formation of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the provision of millions of dollars in additional funding to promote research and innovation are extremely important developments in Canadian health-related research. Following the announcement of the decision to create the CIHR in the federal budget of February 1999, an Interim Governing Council (IGC) was established to develop CIHR into a functional structure that would build on a tradition of research excellence (1). One of the activities of the IGC was a public consultation process to solicit input into recommendations for the creation of CIHR institutes once the new umbrella organization was established. One year after the CIHR Act was tabled in the House of Commons, the IGC is at an advanced stage of focusing on future CIHR institutes to ensure that all areas of research are captured in a manner that is consistent with modern strategic directions. While the formation of CIHR is a major milestone in Canadian health-related research, several challenges lie ahead. The success of this initiative depends, in part, on the efficiency with which the structure functions in relation to its various components. In this regard, the nature of the future CIHR institutes is of critical importance. The Canadian Health Research Institute for Mother, Child, and Youth (CHRIMCY) is one of the proposed institutes. This proposed institute would ensure that research into maternal, child and youth issues is adequately represented throughout the CIHR structure. Such representation is in keeping with the fact that women of child-bearing age, children and youth accounted for 45% of the Canadian population in 1998. The primary goals proposed by the Coordinating Committee for CHRIMCY are to initiate, support and disseminate excellence in peer-reviewed research that encompasses the critical stages of life throughout childhood and adolescence, including preconception, pregnancy, and fetal and newborn development (2). These are achievable goals that would be facilitated by the establishment of appropriate partnerships and collaborative infrastructures. The Coordinating Committee for CHRIMCY should be congratulated for its efforts to ensure that potential partners in the field of maternal, child and youth health are identified. A visit to the CHRIMCY website reveals a directory survey that was developed to register active researchers from across Canada, whose activities fall within the mandate of CHRIMCY. CHRIMCY is starting off on the right footing by ensuring that input is obtained from a wide cross-section of researchers, particularly regarding the type of support that they require to maximize their research potential. CHRIMCY would harness the efforts of hundreds of researchers who collectively pursue research themes in the areas of mother, child and youth. The proposed institute would undoubtedly benefit from the existing infrastructures of some of its key partners and potential partners, more than 20 of which have been identified. It is reasonable to state that if CHRIMCY is established, it will play a major role in the future of health research into issues relating to mothers, children and youth. For CHRIMCY to be successful, the focus should always be on issues that are of primary importance to the health and well-being of Canadian mothers, children and youth. These concerns can easily be neglected due to competing demands for limited resources in settings where different priorities may be placed on issues involving mothers, children and youth compared with other population groups. Thus, it is very important that if CHRIMCY is established as one of the CIHR institutes, it does not become diluted by the inclusion of population groups that are diverse, with distinct and separate health issues from mothers, children and youth. It is acknowledged that some diseases may affect different age groups and sexes. However, in situations where common diseases exist among mothers, children and youth, as well as other populations, the origins, manifestations or consequences of the diseases may be very different. This has often resulted in different priorities being placed on competing health strategies. Every effort should be made to place maternal, child and youth issues at the forefront of health research in Canada. Collaborative research into these areas would be facilitated by CHRIMCY. Such collaboration is important to optimize the efficiency and success of CHRIMCY, thereby ultimately benefiting the health of mothers, children and youth. The strength and success of such collaborative efforts are directly related to whether researchers have enough in common to make collaboration meaningful. The federal government has expressed a commitment to address the health of children and youth. CHRIMCY would play a major partnership role in this regard. Once again, let us congratulate the Coordinating Committee of CHRIMCY for its vision, and for moving this initiative forward. The formation of this institute would undoubtedly be one of the major developments in Canadian medical history relating to mothers, children and youth.

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