The Toronto University Health Network says it has a new plan to recruit the best and most brilliant medical scientists around the world, including the United States, where the government is dismissing thousands of health researchers.
At a press conference on Monday morning, UHN executives described their “Canada Leadra” strategy to recruit 100 of the main health scientists of the world’s early career to the largest hospital network in Canada, to support Canadian medical research and innovation, and boost economic growth.
The Canada Leads program will offer selected scientists a two -year research financing commitment, as well as the tutoring of the main entrepreneurs and the help of a team dedicated to the transition of scientists to their new home.
The president and CEO of UHN, Kevin Smith, says that the objective of the recruitment effort is to generate world leading discoveries and economic spin-off in manufacture, biotechnology and marketing.
“We know that there is an incredible opportunity to overcome our Canadian economy through the bold investment in science and technology,” said Connor.
“And when you look around the world, evidence is absolutely clear: the nations that invest in science not only lead innovation, but also lead in prosperity.”
Smith says that supporting more your own harvest discoveries can also promote a supply chain made in Canada of advanced medical products and services. Although Canada spends more than $ 400 billion in medical care annually, a significant part of that is spent on technologies, pharmaceutical products and supplies that are not manufactured in the country, he says.
“We have to ask ourselves, why not? Why are we not reaping the complete economic benefits of our own discoveries?” Smith said.
“That is the opportunity in front of us today, to ensure that the next world advances not only begin here in Ontario, but also benefit the first Canadians, also that they can create wonderful works, prosperity, a stronger tax base and protect our most appreciated program, our universal system of medical care.”
UHN will spend $ 15 million to recruit the first 50 investigators, Smith said, with insured funds through philanthropic investments. The UHN Foundation and the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation are now being established on the search for coincident funds.
UHN seeking to capitalize on the possible brain leakage of the United States
The campaign will seek to take advantage of great cuts and layoffs in federal health agencies in the United States, including centers for disease control and prevention and national health institutes.
Scientists who supervise cancer research, vaccines and medicines approvals, public health and tobacco regulations are between 10,000 already fired.
“As others retire, Canada must take a step forward,” said Smith on Monday.
Manitoba and BC have recently launched their own campaigns to attract more health professionals in the United States.
“Some of the main scientists are looking for a new home at this time, and we want UHN and Canada to take this opportunity,” said Julie Quenneville, president and executive director of the UHN Foundation, at Monday’s press conference.
The UHN Toronto General Hospital was recently classified by Newsweek as the third best hospital in the world, which makes UHN an attractive place for the main scientists to move, said Quenneville.
“It is actually the best number one hospital outside the United States,” he said, only with the Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo Clinic classified by Newsweek.
UHN is the main research hospital in Canada, which consists of 10 sites in Ontario and more than 20,000 members, including approximately 6,000 researchers.
Ontario will issue ads to attract scientists: Premier
Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford, who was also available at Monday’s press conference, suggested that the province has another advertising campaign to complement the UHN recruitment strategy. The ads would be executed in the United States, he said, similar to when the province recently published ads to the south of the border before the president of the United States, Donald Trump, imposed tariffs, telling Americans that the two countries are stronger together.
“We are going to go on many fronts to fight these tariffs, but a way to win in a big way is that the brightest minds of the United States come to the best sub -operated nation in the world, and that is ontarium, and we will direct those ads,” Ford said in his comments in the UHN event.
“The research carried out by these recruits will attract the investment, the economy will grow … and will be positioned here in UHN as the place where innovation and progress occur,” he said.
Ontario is also in the midst of the implementation of a Life Sciences strategy, to attract biomanocators such as Omniabio and Astrazeneca.
