Collaborative cardiovascular clinical trials in Canada. The Canadian Cardiovascular Collaboration.

Cardiovascular diseases remain the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in Canadians. Over the past 30 years, major advances have been made in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease, many of which have been discovered through the conduct of large randomized clinical trials. Canadian investigators have a long-standing tradition of conducting and participating in clinical trials in the cardiovascular field. At the 1992 Canadian Cardiovascular Society meeting in Ottawa, Ontario a group of individuals from the cardiovascular community met to lay the foundations of the Canadian Cardiovascular Collaboration (CCC). The CCC was formed as a loose collaboration of like-minded individuals with the common goal of identifying and addressing questions of major public health importance. In this paper the past and present status of Canadian participation in major cardiovascular clinical trials are reviewed, and the mission statement and fundamental principles of the CCC are outlined.