Our Research Initiatives

Toronto Poly Clinic > Medical Services > Our Research Initiatives

Since it’s beginning days in 2002, Toronto Poly Clinic has always been involved in medical research.  Our doctors and group of trained nurses conduct medical research on new medications, formulations and medical devices according to the highest standards. Multiple researches at our clinic have led into publications on new medications or innovative treatment modalities. Below is a list of many research projects that were successfully conducted at our clinic.

  1. Methodology of a web-based observational study to evaluate the impact of opioid tolerability issues on chronic pain management. Canadian Pain Society conference Calgary – May 2010
  2. A web based observational study chronicling the Canadian patient experience -Opioids and chronic pain management IASP 13th world congress in pain Montreal August 2010
  3. Current patterns in Chronic Non-Cancer pain management in primary care 15th world congress IASP Milan 2012
  4. Long-term Safety and Efficacy of Tapentadol Extended Release Following up to 2 Years of Treatment in Patients With Moderate to Severe, Chronic Pain: Results of an Open-label Extension Trial – Clinical Therapeutics 2015
  5. Finding Ways to Lift Barriers to Care for Chronic Pain Patients: Outcomes of Using Internet-Based Self-Management Activities to Reduce Pain and Improve Quality of Life – Pain Research and Management 2016
  6. A pilot study of Medical Cannabis Opioid Reduction Program. American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience September 2019

Fibromyalgia Support Program

Toronto Poly Clinic is accepting new patients for a new comprehensive Fibromyalgia support program. The new Canadian Fibromyalgia guidelines and the latest American Rheumatology Association Fibromyalgia criteria recommend patients education, psychological support, exercise and proper medication therapy. Our program follows these recommendations and educates patients about all these aspects of self-management at no cost to patients. All services are covered by OHIP. Our support program is also focused on proper use of Medical Cannabis and opioid reduction for Fibromyalgia patients. This program will be running at all our clinic branches. Ask your doctor for a referral to our clinic so you can be assigned to one of our branches for this Fibromyalgia support program.

The Effects of Medicinal Cannabis for Non-Cancer Related Pain

Medical Marijuana Research – For Conditions Now Responding to Other Treatments

Toronto Poly Clinic is now accepting candidates for participation in an Ethics Board approved long term observational study on effects and side effects of Medical Marijuana in Chronic Non Cancer population. Toronto Poly Clinic follows guides provided by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the College of Physicians and surgeons of Ontario for use of Medical Marijuana in design and conduction of this study. Patients can contact their family doctors to be referred for consideration of participating in this study.

Subject Withdrawal Criteria

Participants are free to withdraw from the study anytime they wish. Beware, if any patient display side effects from medical cannabis, this patient will be excluded from the study.

Dr. Kevin Rod, the principal investigator of this study, has extensive experience in conducting clinical trials on new medications. For example, Toronto Poly Clinic conducted five of the multi-center clinical trials of the newest opioid medication: Tepentadol and was the largest Canadian recruiter center for these studies. Dr. Rod has a long history of performing medical investigations on the quality assurance of physician prescribing practices for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. As a result, he is very familiar with the standards of practice in prescribing controlled substances.

Dr. Rod is conducting ethical high standard medical research on Medical Cannabis so we may have a better understanding about effects and side effects of this substance in the hopes of finding better ways to help our patients.

Participation is free of charge to patients.

Important Disclosure

Toronto Poly Clinic does not engage in the unethical practice of accepting referral fees from Licensed Producers for referring patients or prescribing medical marijuana to patients by way of providing medical documents or any other means.

The Effects of Low Intensity Ultrasound for Knee Pain Related to Osteoarthritis

Toronto Poly Clinic is proud to be conducting a double blind, clinical study on the effects of low intensity ultrasound for knee pain related to osteoarthritis.

If you are  suffering from knee pain due to osteoarthritis you can consider participating in this study. Participation is at no cost to the patient. Qualified participants will commit to 8 weeks of participation, as well as weekly treatment appointments over the course of the 8 weeks. This study is being conducted by Dr. Kevin Rod.

The inclusion criteria are as follows:

  • Osteo-arthritis of knee joint diagnosed through X-Ray evaluation
  • Moderate or sever level of pain due to knee osteoarthritis and no other known reason
  • Male of Female patients of 18 to 85 years old
  • Pain interfering with activities of daily life

This study may not be suitable for all applicants. The exclusion criteria are as follows:

  • Cancer pain or any other concurrent cancerous condition
  • History of Knee replacement surgery in the study joint
  • Local infection or any kind of inflammatory or allergic skin lesion
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Mobility disorders or not being able to walk