Canadians Seeking Solutions and Innovations to Overcome Chronic Kidney Disease (Can-SOLVE CKD): Form and Function:

Purpose of reviewThis article serves to describe the Can-SOLVE CKD network, a program of research projects and infrastructure that has excited patients and given them hope that we can truly transform the care they receive.IssueChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a complex disorder that affects more than 4 million Canadians and costs the Canadian health care system more than $40 billion per year. The evidence base for guiding care in CKD is small, and even in areas where evidence exists, uptake of evidence into clinical practice has been slow. Compounding these complexities are the variations in outcomes for patients with CKD and difficulties predicting who is most likely to develop complications over time. Clearly these gaps in our knowledge and understanding of CKD need to be filled, but the current state of CKD research is not where it needs to be. A culture of clinical trials and inquiry into the disease is lacking, and much of the existing evidence base addresses the concerns of the researchers but not ne...