The current status of anaesthesia research in Canada

The Association of Canadian University Departments of Anaesthesia (A.C.U.D.A.) surveyed all 16 university departments during 1975/76/77, to obtain detailed and accurate information on manpower and research activities. The results of this survey have been summarized and show that only 0.68 per cent of federal MRC funds support anaesthesia research compared with 3.29 per cent of the U.S. federal N.I.G.M.S. funds. Notably 90 per cent of Canadian research funds are held in three departments. Canadian academic anaesthetists spend twice as much time in clinical service as their U.S. counterparts and there are 46 per cent fewer full-time faculty and 64 per cent fewer researchers in Canadian departments of Anaesthesia as compared to the U.S. A number of recommendations are made which will be acted upon as a basis for future planning.