Arthritis At Home Episode 36: Conversation with Dr. John Esdaile, outgoing scientific director of Arthritis Research Canada (ARC)
After 21 years as Arthritis Research Canada founder and scientific director, world-renowned scientist and rheumatologist, Dr. John Esdaile is handing the leadership reins over to Dr. Diane Lacaille, a long-time senior scientist who has been with the organization since its founding in 1999.
Arthritis at Home had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Esdaile about his experience helping lead ARC to become the largest clinical arthritis research institution in North America. He also reflects on how patients are key contributors at ARC, including the establishment of ARC’s Arthritis Patient Advisory Board whose members are engaged in all phases of research. We also learn where he thinks arthritis research is headed in the next decade.
Arthritis Consumer Experts congratulates Dr. Esdaile on passing this milestone. We know there are more to come.
Go deeper
Patient participation in research
Every day, research teams are working to learn more about arthritis, and understand the experiences of people living with the disease. While the research questions and methods for answering them vary widely from project to project, the ultimate goal is the same: to improve the lives of people living with arthritis. To do this, researchers often need significant input from real people living with real disease.
People with arthritis play a very significant role in research. This participation takes many different forms, including:
– Answering questionnaires and surveys
– Participation in individual or group interviews with researchers
– Involvement with research decision-making, on advisory boards or councils
– Participation in clinical medication trials
Want to get more involved?
Finding a research project to get involved with is the first step to participating in arthritis research.
Here are several sources:
Health Canada manages a database on clinical trials
Arthritis Society provides comprehensive information about research studies in Canada