Canadian Frailty Network is pleased to announce a Catalyst Grant Competition focused on Medication Optimization in collaboration with the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation (NBHRF) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). 

The number of prescription medications used by Canadians increases as we age often leading to polypharmacy.  Polypharmacy increases the risk of adverse drug side-effects and drug-drug interactions, and as well as the development of drug-induced frailty and cognitive impairment. A majority (two thirds) of older adults (65 or older) are prescribed five or more drug classes and over one-quarter are prescribed 10 or more drugs.  The risk of adverse drug-induced events is even greater for those aged 85 or older where 40% are estimated to take drugs from 10 or more drug classes.  

About the competition
This competition will fund innovative research proposals that address the ongoing concern of polypharmacy and related medication issues in older Canadians living with frailty. The projects funded are intended to be the first step in improving medication prescribing/deprescribing and overall medication management in older Canadians living with frailty.

CFN's Catalyst Grant Program supports scalable research studies including pilot, feasibility and translational studies that investigate novel and innovative approaches/methodologies/technologies. As with all CFN funded projects, studies must focus on older Canadians living with frailty and/or their families and caregivers.

Within the overall goal of medication optimization, CFN will prioritize funding in the following manner (Please visit www.cfn-nce.ca for full details):

• CIHR Collaboration -- up to $300,000 will go to studies that address the practice of medication optimization and deprescription to reduce or eliminate drug-induced cognitive impairment;
• NBHRF Collaboration -- Multi-provincial studies are strongly encouraged to advance healthcare improvement across Canada, and for this competition CFN and NBHRF have created a separate fund to encourage researchers to include a NB-based research component in their Catalyst studies.
• CFN Medication Optimization Summit topics -- CFN recently consulted with stakeholders across Canada to identify research priority areas for  medication optimization for older Canadians living with frailty. There are seven research priority areas eligible for Catalyst funding (Please visit www.cfn-nce.ca for full details).

Projects with multidisciplinary, multi-institutional teams will be funded for up to 16 months and to a maximum of $100,000. Proposals must include partners who have committed cash or eligible in-kind contributions on a 1:1 basis to CFN funding.

CFN is looking to invest a maximum of $650,000 for this competition. This is in addition to the funds allocated for work conducted in the province of New Brunswick (see Program Guidelines for details).

Deadlines

Only those projects that submit an Intent to Apply will be eligible to later submit for consideration a full application package. The Intent to Apply must be submitted via email to apply@cfn-nce.ca by Friday, October 6, 2017 at 5 pm ET.

For more information, visit here