Sharon Freitag

Sharon began her career as a researcher with the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT). She was instrumental in the development of the NWT Cancer Registry. Subsequently, Sharon became the Health Statistician for the GNWT, where she was responsible for the operations of the Community Health Management Information System across the NWT.
In 2000, Sharon joined the University Health Network in Toronto as a Research Assistant responsible for recruitment and data collection on a large multi-centre study. It was then that Sharon became interested in the emerging field of research ethics. In 2003, Sharon joined St. Michael’s Hospital in the newly created role of Research Ethics Coordinator. In 2010 Sharon was appointed Director of the REO. In 2018, with the merger of St. Michael’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Healthcare and Providence forming Unity Health Toronto, Sharon was appointed the Senior Director of the newly created Unity Health Toronto, Research Ethics portfolio.
In 2008, Sharon was elected to the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of Research Ethics Boards (CAREB) and served as President from 2010-2012. Sharon has also been involved with PRIM&R (Public Responsibility in Medicine & Research) serving on a number of committees, and as co-Chair of the PRIM&R Membership Committee.

Sharon represented CAREB at the Senate hearings on Canada’s Clinical Trial Infrastructure, and Canadian General Standards Board development of standards for REBs reviewing clinical trials.
Sharon served as the Chair of the CIHR External Advisory Committee for the Streamlining of Health Research Ethics Review in support of the Strategy for Patient Oriented Research. Trials Coordinating Centre Advisory Group.