REaCT
REthinking Clinical Trials

REthinking Clinical Trials (REaCT) is a unique research program aimed at improving the lives of people with cancer through patient-centred, pragmatic clinical trials. 

Based at The Ottawa Hospital, the REaCT program engages patients and their loved ones in research every step of the way, from generating ideas to setting priorities to designing studies and sharing results.   

Unlike most cancer clinical trials, which are focused on evaluating experimental treatments in a very narrow patient population, REaCT trials compare standard approved treatments in a real-world setting with a broad range of patients. In this way, REaCT trials can efficiently answer some of the most important questions for cancer patients and the health care system.  

REaCT is the largest pragmatic cancer clinical trials program in Canada, with more than 4,500 patients participating in 27 clinical trials at 20 centres in Canada.

REaCT is a key component of The Ottawa Hospital’s Cancer Therapeutics Program and Divisions of Medical, Radiation and Surgical Oncology. REaCT is enabled by the Ottawa Methods Centre, which is supported by generous donors to The Ottawa Hospital Foundation. Individual REaCT studies are also supported by various external funders. 


“We are helping the future generation with every trial we do. I’m so thankful I was part of this trial.”
Gina Mertikas-Lavictoire, REaCT trial participant

“Nausea can be one of the most difficult side effects of chemotherapy, but thanks to research from the REaCT team, there is now a new and easy treatment to reduce nausea in breast cancer patients.”

Watch the video to learn more.

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