VZCZCXRO1969
PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #0912 1901526
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 081526Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8148
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1008
RUEAUSA/HHS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000912 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA, OES AND EUR 
HHS/OGHA PASS FOR NIH/FOGARTY CENTER 
PARIS PASS FOR USMISSION OECD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO CA
SUBJECT: CANADA, QUEBEC AND FRANCE SIGN AGREEMENT ON 
ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH 
 
¶1. (U) On July 4, the organizations for health research 
funding of Canada (the Canadian Institutes of Health 
Research's Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and 
Addiction, and Institute of Aging; CIHR), Quebec (the Fonds 
de la recherche medicale, FRSQ) and France (the Institut 
national de la sante et de la recherche medicale, Inserm) 
signed a partnership agreement to accelerate research on 
Alzheimer's disease.  Attending the announcement at the 
Institut national de recherche scientifique (INRS-Sante) in 
Laval, Quebec were the Prime Minister of France Francois 
Fillon and the Premier of Quebec Jean Charest.  Quebec was 
also represented at the event by Michelle Courchesne, 
Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports and Minister of 
Families, and Raymond Bachand, Minister of Economic 
Development, Innovation and Export Trade and Minister of 
Tourism, while France was also represented by Alain Joyandet, 
Secretary of State for Cooperation and the Francophonie, and 
Anne-Marie Idrac, Secretary of State for Foreign Trade. 
 
¶2.  (U) The agreement makes funds available for research 
projects which aim to advance the science associated with the 
diagnosis, treatment or management of patients with 
Alzheimer's or related diseases.  It requires that proposed 
work be substantial and involve specialists from diverse 
disciplines and various academic and health institutions. 
The accord requires that the structure of these research 
groups allow for original added value to be contributed in 
such a way that would not be possible through the work of one 
country alone. 
 
¶3. (U) In Quebec, the agreement is in accordance with the 
action plan regarding the care, services and quality of life 
of Alzheimer's patients tasked to an expert committee by the 
Minister of Health and Social Services Philippe Couillard. 
The arrangement is also in line with France's plan to fight 
the disease by linking academic and private partners through 
a cooperative scientific foundation, announced by President 
Nicolas Sarkozy on February 1.  The FRSQ and Inserm have a 
40-year history of cooperation in scientific research.  Dr. 
Alain Beaudet, the newly appointed president of the CIHR, 
expressed his hope that this Franco-Quebec initiative would 
serve as a catalyst for broader cooperation throughout Canada 
in the field of Alzheimer's research. 
 
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada 
 
WILKINS