Members of the Columbia Medical physicians, nurses, researchers, and faculty protest against federal funding cuts affecting their research at the Columbia University campus in New York on April 14.RYAN MURPHY/Reuters
Kevin Smith is the president and CEO of the University Health Network. Bradly Wouters is a cancer researcher and executive vice-president of science and research at the University Health Network.
Being bold isn’t just about seeing an opportunity; it’s about seizing it.
From the discovery of stem cells, to performing the world’s first successful lung transplant, to leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance diagnostics, treatment and personalized care, Toronto’s University Health Network (UHN) has long been recognized as a pioneer in medical research. This reputation has earned UHN’s Toronto General Hospital the number-three spot among the best hospitals in the world, according to Newsweek’s annual ranking. Canada is rich with other similarly strong academic hospitals and world-leading universities.
At UHN, we firmly believe that the pursuit of scientific knowledge underpins the development of solutions needed to address the unmet needs of patients. Despite enormous advances, our health care system – like every other – has many needs that can only be addressed through research and innovation. These solutions can also form the basis of new economic development and national wealth. This is how we create both a healthier and wealthier world.
In the face of global economic shifts, and at a time of Canadian self-reflection, we must recognize that we are on the cusp of an extraordinary opportunity – one that can place us at the epicentre of global innovation. If we seize it, we can lead the world in medical research, clinical treatments and life-saving cures, while also creating an ecosystem for discovery, manufacturing and commercialization.
This is the vision of UHN’s Canada Leads initiative.
Canada Leads is not just a strategy – it’s a call to action. It’s a plan to position Canada as the ultimate destination for the brightest minds in medical research and for innovative, new companies that will bring fresh solutions to patients. It’s also an opportunity to see Canada’s largest tax-funded program – health care – produce what we now buy from abroad. We are home to world-class institutions, talent creation, and a health care system that stands as a pillar of Canadian cultural identity.
But we are facing both threats and challenges. If we are to improve access to care, bolster patient and provider confidence and create funding sources to ensure rapid access to the latest therapies, we must demonstrate bold resolve.
For decades, the United States has been the unrivalled global leader in medical research and commercialization, supported by unprecedented investments in science from the federal government. Through the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and more, American investment in discovery research has for decades attracted the best and brightest to the U.S. These talented scientists, when coupled with business and manufacturing expertise, have generated enormous scientific progress and, subsequently, the creation of entire new biomedical sectors and economic wealth. A recent example is the Nobel Prize-winning science on RNA vaccines, developed in concert with an investigator who came to the U.S. from abroad, which has now transformed treatments and outcomes, and created billion-dollar companies, jobs and wealth.
Yet today, the landscape is shifting. Budget uncertainties, tightening visa policies and shifting sands for science and education are threatening to destabilize a fragile ecosystem. Many of the world’s best and brightest are now seeking new opportunities – places where their work will be embraced, supported and celebrated. In this phase of uncertainty, there is an unprecedented opportunity and need for Canada to take a stronger leading position in science and related manufacturing. We must accelerate transformative growth in our biomedical research ecosystem through the recruitment of top scientists and postdoctoral researchers, and invest in key areas that are critical to human health and economic growth.
It is time for Canada to lead.
Canada Leads isn’t just about attracting transformative talent; it’s about setting forth an ambition to be a global leader in discovery and commercial application. Our strategy will increase investment in basic and applied research, deepen collaborations between academia and industry, and focus on cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, genomics and precision medicine. But it’s not just about resources – it’s about nurturing a culture of boldness and risk-taking. It’s about ensuring that discoveries are commercialized in Canada, and that our patients benefit first. It is also about capitalizing on a system that supports the development of new Canadian companies that can bring these solutions to patients around the world. We must create an environment where curiosity is encouraged, where researchers are emboldened to ask, “What if?” and to do so in true partnership with engineering, financing and manufacturing experts.
A key pillar of this strategy is the recruitment of world-leading scientists and exceptional postdoctoral researchers. By attracting scientific leaders – many of whom may be facing diminishing support in other countries – Canada can rapidly transform its biomedical research and commercial ecosystem. These scientists, along with industry partners and collaborators, will bring immediate and lasting impact to Canada’s research landscape, but just as importantly, develop a Canadian supply chain of advanced medical products and services for use at home and abroad.
Time is of the essence. One university in Spain has reported a significant spike in applications from the U.S., and both the Netherlands and universities in France have announced the creation of new funds to attract researchers. As part of our strategy, UHN has announced an initial $15-million investment in recruiting 100 early-career scientists from across the globe, with plans to match these funds via contributions to our charitable foundations. We want these promising candidates, all of whom will be conducting research with commercialization potential, to join us here in Canada.
The impact of Canada Leads will go far beyond health outcomes. According to United for Medical Research, a coalition of leading U.S.-based research institutes, the NIH awarded nearly US$37-billion in research funding in 2024, producing nearly US$95-billion in new economic activity and more than 407,000 new jobs nationwide. If Canada emerges as the global leader in biomedical research, this type of ripple effect would transform our society and our global influence.
The stakes are high. The next breakthrough vaccine, capable of preventing a global pandemic, is waiting to be developed in a Canadian lab and tested in Canadian hospitals. So, too, is the next novel, life-saving treatment for chronic diseases, one that can improve the lives of millions of people around the world. These are not far-off dreams; this is the potential within our grasp if we act now. It also means we can more effectively leverage the estimated $400-billion spent annually on health care in Canada, purchasing our own products, and better protecting our population’s universal access to care.
Achieving this vision requires collaboration at every level. Governments, academic institutions, the private sector and philanthropic organizations must unite to invest in Canada’s research and manufacturing infrastructure, support innovation and create policies that allow talent to thrive. This is a call to action for policy makers, philanthropists and investors to direct their resources toward initiatives that will shape the future of global health.
Canada Leads is more than a strategic vision – it is a Canadian imperative. The decisions we make today will determine not only our country’s future, but the future of global health.
Canada: The world is watching. Let us lead.