Page 23 - CIRN Annual Report 2017-18

UPDATE FROM THE NETWORK LEADS
DR. NATASHA CROWCROFT

& DR. JEFF KWONG

The CIRN Provincial Collaborative Network (PCN)
brings together leading researchers from multiple
provincial governments, public health agencies,
and research institutes to conduct a wide range
of public health-relevant research and evaluation.
The PCN studies characteristically do not involve
collecting information directly from people or clinical
studies, but instead, typically bring together a range
of existing types of large-scale data to answer
important questions very effi ciently and eff ectively.
These studies increase the evidence base to inform
immunization strategies and programs in Canada and
beyond.

In 2017-18, PCN completed several studies, resulting
in four presentations and three papers published in
leading scientifi c journals. The publications included
studies that catalogued methods used to assess
vaccine coverage in Canada, validated the use of
diagnostic codes to identify cases of pertussis
(whooping cough), and outlined a protocol to examine We have established strong partnerships between
immunological protection from pertussis transmission researchers and policy-makers. For example, a CIRN-
in household contacts. funded trainee built on these relationships is leading
a study of how to strengthen the way that research
The fi ve PCN studies that are currently in progress infl uences immunization policy in order to maximize
involve multiple provinces, vaccines, and research the impact of immunization programs in Canada.
methodologies. One nearly completed study is This study leveraged CIRN support, as well as the
examining vaccine safety and coverage in children Canadian Institutes of Health Research [CIHR], Public
with epilepsy using health administrative databases. Health Agency of Canada, Association of Medical
Another study is assessing under-reporting and Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada,
evaluating the eff ectiveness of pertussis vaccines in Canadian Association for Immunization Research and
multiple provinces using a combination of laboratory, Evaluation, and Public Health Ontario.
health administrative, and public health reportable
disease surveillance databases. A pair of studies In 2018/19, PCN aims to complete most of its existing
are using linked laboratory and health administrative studies and will develop plans for new studies for
data to examine some recent controversial aspects year three of CIRN by seeking increased linkages of
regarding the eff ectiveness of infl uenza vaccines, with partner organizations, collaborating investigators, and
one studying the impact of repeated immunization databases. For example, PCN is closely connected
on infl uenza vaccine eff ectiveness in young children with the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in
and another determining whether the eff ectiveness Ontario, which is partnering with similar organizations
of infl uenza immunization wanes over the course of in several provinces to submit an application to CIHR
an infl uenza season. Finally, the ENGAGE-HPV study, for the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR)
which is focused on preventing human papillomavirus National Data Platform. The objective of this data
(HPV) for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex platform is to create effi ciencies for accessing data
with men in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, will for multi-jurisdictional studies, which will be of great
combine methods from epidemiology, mathematical interest and benefi t to PCN and other CIRN networks
modeling, and health economics. once ready.

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