Health Canada is the federal program that promotes the importance of health to Canadians.
The department heavily invests in Canada's health-care system, supporting themes related to health research, such as children's health or reproductive health. Health Canada is also responsible for regulating and approving drugs, vaccines and medical devices, ensuring that they are safe and of superior quality for use.
Through The Visiting Fellowships Program, financial support is offered by Health Canada to researchers and scientists, in partnership with government research institutions to provide resources to these researchers. The initiatives and projects that Health Canada provides funding to are those that are in relation to Canada’s medical and health care advancements and concerns. This support mechanism gives scientists and medical inventors an opportunity to improve on the health challenges and matters affecting Canadians.
Eligible medical specialists in the Visiting Fellowships Program funded by Health Canada are, among other stipulations, required to have a PhD degree, or be within six months of receiving their PhD. The approved candidates are then granted access to the more than twenty laboratories and research organizations participating in the Program, with researchers integrated with the institutions' existing teams. The stipend amount totals to between $43,000 and $54,000 per year, with candidates also allowed to conduct their own independent research if they wish, provided that senior scientists from hosting departments and agencies oversee the candidate's work.
Non-Canadian citizens are also invited to apply for the Program, and they are required to have valid work visas and employment authorization.
Health Canada's grants and contributions programs are value-added initiatives that work with the community to advance and better Canadians' health. These initiatives include national health-related issues that are not covered under an umbrella organization, such as research strategies; delivery of health services, such as benefits; and research projects that enhance delivery of medical programs, such as assisting an institution to develop health promotion messages.
Health Canada has partners it works closely with to improve and modernize the health of its citizens, constantly and actively collaborating with these health organizations to promote the importance and management of health.