The CCTAM follows the definition used by ClinicalTrials.gov. A clinical study involves research using human volunteers (also called participants) that is intended to add to medical knowledge. There are two main types of clinical studies: clinical trials (also called interventional studies) and observational studies (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/about-studies/learn). Assets listed in the CCTAM are intended to include individuals or groups working with either type of study.
An asset is a record within the database, also known as a profile. Asset types include clinical trial sites, research networks, research ethics boards, research organizations and institutions, and individual clinical research experts.
The asset profile is the comprehensive descriptive listing that includes all of the information about the asset, including links to other assets and its map location. Users who create or edit an asset need to show an association with the asset or be a contact person listed in the profile.
No. The CCTAM is much more than a directory since it was created within a relational database that allows for multiple fields or records to be linked to each other across tables and categories. As a result, you can perform extremely powerful and detailed searches within the CCTAM and also discover linkages that you may not have captured within your search criteria.
For example, an investigator can be associated (linked) with a specific clinical-research site. That site may itself be linked with a patient registry, research ethics board, site-management organization, other investigators, or a disease network or funding network, enabling CCTAM users to get a better overall picture.
Being able to easily identify the various institutions, ethics boards, or other sites that a researcher is associated with will enable researchers and sponsors to minimize duplication and harmonize regulatory and ethics reviews across regions or provinces.
Since the CCTAM contains information on individual investigators and research organizations, institutions, and networks, individual investigators are linked to their respective organizations to minimize confusion. Clicking on an organization also reveals links to investigators associated with that organization and vice versa. Consistent terminology is used to minimize the risk of duplication.
The comprehensiveness of the CCTAM is also ensured through the richness of the included data sources, which include Health Canada; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada; the provincial governments of British Columbia, New Brunswick; and Ontario; clinical research organizations; and a variety of research-based pharmaceutical companies, including GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer, Amgen, EMD Serono Canada, AbbVie, Roche, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
All CCTAM users are required to create a user account (register), which is subject to the administrator’s review and approval. Only approved users can create or edit assets.
Anyone conducting clinical research in Canada or who would like to conduct clinical research here is able to access the CCTAM.
Yes. Once you have registered, your profile information can be changed only through the secure account. As an additional security measure, the database administrator reviews and approves all changes.
There are a variety of tools available to help you create your profile, including a user guide, glossary, tips for enhancing visibility, and video tutorials. The Support menu tab found at the top of each page provides links to the support tools and a Contact Us page.
Once you have registered, your data entry will usually take about 10 to 15 minutes if you have gathered all of your information together beforehand. Copy and paste can be used when entering information from other electronic documents or websites. For example, if you have a website or brochure that you want to include, you can simply copy that information and supplement it with additional details.
Yes. If needed, you can save and return to your page prior to submitting it for approval.
Yes. The CCTAM database was conceived as a dynamic, user-friendly tool. Updating information is easy; simply follow the instructions provided on your profile page. Changes are reviewed and processed by the database administrator, who may contact you for verification.
Yes. Information can be removed from the CCTAM database as easily as submitting it.
Questions can be directed to the CCTAM project manager at cctam@cctcc.ca or by calling 1-613-875-3457.