Empowered Health Season 2 Episode 23 – Dr. Allan Gotlib and the CCRF

Empowered Health Season 2 Episode 23 – Dr. Allan Gotlib and the CCRF

Chiropractic Research Foundation benefits health care for all Canadians

Health care is heavily influenced by research that is conducted in universities around the world. More effective treatments and prevention techniques are often the result of clinical trials and studies. Dr. Allan Gotlib is the Executive-Vice President of the Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation (CCRF), a non-profit organization that works to expand the breadth of chiropractic research both nationally and internationally. It is under the leadership of Dr. Gotlib that Canada has witnessed the unprecedented expansion of chiropractic research that continues to thrust the chiropractic profession into the forefront of health care.

As a result of his tireless efforts, Dr. Gotlib has overseen the development of several research capacity building programs that led to the creation of fourteen chiropractic research chairs and professorships within our country’s borders. What is unique about these chiropractic research positions is that they are integrated into prestigious public Canadian universities including McGill, Queen’s and the University of British Columbia. Dr. Gotlib was instrumental in establishing these partnerships and assisted with the placement of chiropractic PhDs in academic health faculties. Areas of focus include epidemiology or population studies, biomechanics, neurophysiology and cell biology. The research conducted by these individuals meets strict university standards and adds to the growing number of scientific contributions.

Even more important is the concept of inter-professional collaboration and the significant contributions to Canadian health care at large. Multi-disciplinary care is one of the buzzwords du jour when it comes to health. The considerable benefit of chiropractic research chairs and professorships in universities is that they are often nested within medical faculties, allowing chiropractic doctors and other health disciplines to work together on common goals and share perspectives. Not only does this enable collaboration amongst the professions, it ultimately benefits the patient and health care delivery everywhere.

The other significant role of the CCRF is to facilitate key partnerships with Federal and Provincial agencies. Dr. Gotlib helped to secure relationships with Manitoba Health and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), both of which have been extremely beneficial to the creation of research initiatives. As a result of these partnerships, our chiropractic researchers have secured millions of dollars for research operating grants and young investigator awards to further Canadian chiropractic research.

The program is a huge win for the public, especially in today’s healthcare environment where every cent counts. The evidence that is coming out of these institutions continues to make the case for improved outcomes and cost effectiveness of chiropractic care. Research is building which points to better ways to treat spine conditions that are already established as a huge burden to our society and health costs.

As an even further testament to his dedication to improve Canadian health care, Dr. Gotlib was appointed member of the Order of Canada by his Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada in late 2012. While most of Canada’s chiropractors are thinking about how to help their patients, Dr. Gotlib is always looking ten years down the road to see what avenues should be explored to expand opportunities for health improvement.