Improving cancer clinical trial accrual in Ontario, Canada: The clinical trials infrastructure fund (CTIF) experience.

6602 Background: Participation in clinical trials is essential to evaluating safety and efficacy of emerging cancer therapies. To improve trial activities in the province of Ontario, Canada, the CTIF was established in 2002 and operationalized from 2004-2008 by the Ontario Cancer Research Network (OCRN), Ontario Institute for Cancer Research's (OICR) predecessor and funded by the Ontario government. The goals were to double trial recruitment from the baseline of 2001 and have self-sustaining trial units over 4 years. Methods: Beginning in 2004, the CTIF awards were issued in 3 phases – phase 1: 14 adult cancer centers, phase 2: 9 community hospitals, phase 3: 5 pediatric cancer centers. Per case funding (PCF) provided was $3300/patient; $4000/patient to community hospitals. The total program cost was $12.9 Million/3 years. Participating sites reported recruitment to academic and industry trials and shared 11% of additional industry trial funding over 5 years back to OCRN/OICR. The number of patients accru...