Premier Houston Meets with Novartis Canada to Discuss Advancements in Clinical Research and Patient Access

Premier Tim Houston met today with the Canadian president of Novartis, an innovative medicines company with a strong footprint in Canada and a focus on advancing breakthrough treatments, at Nova Scotia Health’s Innovation Hub, a key engine for clinical trials and research collaboration in Atlantic Canada.

“We are supporting more Nova Scotians to take part in medical research that will lead to hope for patients and will encourage more companies to come here,” said Premier Tim Houston.

 “Medical research helps find new treatments and improves existing ones and Nova Scotians can be part of a process that most certainly helps discover some new cures and saves lives.”

The meeting builds on strong momentum across the province to position Nova Scotia as a leader in clinical research, with hundreds of active trials giving patients access to innovative therapies closer to home.

Novartis Canada recently became a partner of Nova Scotia Health’s Innovation Hub, further strengthening its collaboration with the province to accelerate clinical research, expand patient access to trials and bring global innovation to Canadian patients faster. 

This partnership reflects Novartis’ leadership in oncology, including a long-standing commitment to advancing breast cancer. For more than 35 years, the company has helped shape the treatment landscape through a broad portfolio and more personalized approaches to improve outcomes and reduce recurrence.

The meeting takes place during the Health Innovation Hub’s bi-annual Health Innovation Exchange, which brings together leaders from government, healthcare, academia and industry to advance collaboration and showcase new models of innovation.

In April, Premier Houston announced people can register their interest in participating in medical research when they apply for or renew their health card. Participating Nova Scotians could be part of groundbreaking discoveries in cancer care, women’s health, chronic disease management, vaccine research and more. Participation is voluntary.

“Nova Scotia is showing what’s possible when governments, healthcare organizations and industry move forward together,” said Dimitri Gitas, Country President at Novartis Canada. “As a proud partner of the Innovation Hub, we are helping bring clinical research closer to patients, strengthening Canada’s role in global studies and connecting people earlier to the breakthroughs redefining care, including in breast cancer where innovation continues to change what patients can expect.”

Together, these efforts are positioning Nova Scotia as a destination for medical research while ensuring patients benefit from the latest advances in care.

More information about medical research consent opportunities, options and processes is available at www.novastudiesconnect.ca.

Quick facts about Novartis Canada:

• Novartis is a Swiss-based innovative medicines company that reaches more than 300 million people worldwide.
• The company focuses on four core therapeutic areas where it has the scale and pipeline to address major unmet needs: oncology, immunology, neuroscience and cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases.
• In Canada, Novartis employs approximately 500 people, invests more than $36 million annually in Research & Development and reaches 2.4 million patients across the country.
• Novartis Canada contributes $1.04 billion in social value, including 18.9 million hours of caregiving avoided, helping families regain time, stability and quality of life.

Additional Quotes:

“Novartis is helping bring clinical research closer to patients in Nova Scotia through our work with the Innovation Hub. This partnership supports our broader efforts to advance research in Canada and connect patients to innovative treatments, including in areas like breast cancer and prostate cancer.” - Dimitri Gitas, Country President at Novartis Canada

Additional Resources: 

News release – New Opportunities to Participate in Medical Research, https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2026/04/28/new-opportunities-participate-medical-research.