The British Columbia Ministry of Health recently made a listing decision for one of these new drugs. In addition to evidence-based drug coverage, the Ministry is providing British Columbians with the information they need. Information pamphlets for patients and prescribers explain important issues and options.

SSIs can affect up to 20% of patients, depending on the type of surgery, but guidance on preventing SSI through preoperative skin preparation is unclear. Some groups recommend preoperative showering with an antiseptic agent, but some do not. There are several antiseptic agents available and surgical staff may use various methods of applying antiseptic to the skin in preparation for surgery.

CADTH’s review showed that preoperative antiseptic showering reduces skin flora, which may be helpful in preventing SSI, but the data are inconclusive. Evidence shows that the method of antiseptic application is inconsequential, and there is not enough evidence to support the use of one antiseptic over another.

An abstract of the published article is available from PubMed.

“Professor Goeree is one of the pre-eminent HTA researchers and educators in the world,” said Dr. O’Rourke. “As Director of the PATH Research Institute, he has demonstrated the essential role health technology assessment can and should play in meeting the needs of health decision-makers. As an innovator, he helped pioneer the methodological framework for the field evaluation of non-drug technologies. As a dedicated professor and mentor, he has trained literally thousands of students, researchers, and decision-makers, making an immense contribution to the capacity in Canada to produce and use health technology assessment.”

Professor Goeree’s home base is the world-renowned Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McMaster University. He was appointed Director of the PATH Research Institute of St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton in 2006. He is also a member of the Centre for Evaluation of Medicines. He is involved in numerous research projects with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Health Quality Ontario, and CADTH, and has published extensively in the HTA field.

The Dr. Jill M. Sanders Award of Excellence in HTA was established by CADTH in 2010 to celebrate Canadian leadership and excellence in HTA by recognizing individuals whose outstanding achievements have made a significant and lasting contribution to health technology assessment in Canada. The Award is named in honour of Dr. Jill M. Sanders, President and CEO of CADTH from 1987-2010. She passed away in February 2010 following a battle with cancer.

“I am honoured and thrilled to receive an award like this recognizing lifetime achievement,” said Professor Goeree. “CADTH is a leader in HTA internationally and I am proud PATH has a formal long-term partnership with CADTH. On a personal note, I was also a huge admirer of Jill and her contributions to HTA in Canada and internationally, so this award is especially touching.”

The Dr. Jill M. Sanders Award will be presented to Professor Goeree during an Awards Luncheon at the 2012 CADTH Symposium in Ottawa, Ontario. The Luncheon will be held on Tuesday, April 17 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

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Showcasing this novel approach to knowledge translation, the Café Scientifique Casebook is now available. It highlights the methodology and impact of these events in generating dialogue and debate about SMBG at the grassroots level across the nation.

On November 8, 2011, Fraser Health became the first health authority in Canada to implement an innovative vitamin D protocol of this kind. The protocol indicates a weekly dosage of 20,000 IU of vitamin D for older adults residing in long-term care facilities (excepting those with hypercalcemia or severe renal failure). 

The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) contributed to the evidence base for the new protocol, providing environmental scanning work and summaries of evidence on the topic of vitamin D supplementation. This work is presented in the Environmental Scan Vitamin D Supplements for Elderly Patients in Residential Care: Policies and Protocols, and in the two Rapid Response reports Vitamin D Supplementation in Long-Term Care Residents: A Review of the Clinical Effectiveness and Guidelines and Calcium and Vitamin D for Falls and Osteoporosis Prevention: Safety.

CADTH is pleased to have played a supportive role to Fraser Health in this important step toward improving health outcomes for elderly long-term care residents in the Fraser Health region.

For more information about CADTH’s recommendations on the optimal prescribing and use of SMBG, please visit the Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose section of the CADTH website.

As CIHI notes, health system leaders need to scrutinize the introduction of new drugs and technologies and consider their value relative to other health system investments. Decision-makers can continue to rely on CADTH for the evidence, analysis, advice, and recommendations they need to make informed decisions. CADTH’s role in the optimal use of drugs and technologies is making an essential contribution to the health of Canadians.  

To read the published report, visit CIHI at www.cihi.ca.

PAHO is an international public health agency, based in Washington, DC, that works to improve the health and living standards in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is part of the United Nations system, serving as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization.

Rx for Change is a publicly accessible, searchable database containing current research evidence about intervention strategies used to alter behaviours of health technology prescribing, practice, and use. It is the result of a partnership between CADTH, the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group, the Cochrane Consumers and Communication Review Group, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Knowledge Translation Canada, and the National Prescribing Service in Australia. 

CADTH looks forward to collaborating with PAHO on this initiative and is pleased about the opportunity to make Rx for Change more widely accessible in the near future.

Dr. Brian O’Rourke, President and Chief Executive Officer of CADTH, is pleased to welcome Ms. Anita Fineberg, legal practitioner and consultant, Toronto, Ontario, as a Public Member to the Panel. She joins four other Core Members on this Panel, who were recently announced.

Ms. Fineberg has extensive experience in the health care field, specializing in the areas of privacy, access to information, data security, and information management law. Her practice focuses on health information privacy compliance and the use and protection of health information in the development of electronic medical and health records. She teaches Health Law at George Brown College and is a frequent speaker, workshop leader, and author on privacy and information security issues.

“Public representation on this Panel is critical to CADTH, as it promotes transparency and ensures that the voice of the public is brought to the table, reflecting the needs and values of Canadians,” said Dr. O’Rourke.

The Public Member represents the broader public interest, serving in the capacity as a member of the general public — not as a representative of any specific interest group or organization. The Public Member has full membership, with similar responsibilities and expectations, and is subject to the same terms and conditions as other Panel representatives.

About CADTH

The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments of Canada. CADTH is one of Canada’s leading sources of information and advice on the effectiveness and efficiency of drugs, medical devices, and other health technologies.

For more information:

Media Contacts:

Peter Chinneck, Director, Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives
Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health
613-226-2553
peterc@cadth.ca

Janis Bogart, Communications Officer
Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health
613-226-2553
janisb@cadth.ca

www.cadth.ca

Jane Farquharson will be leaving her position as Vice-President, Programs effective October 28, 2011 to return to Prince Edward Island. Jane has contributed significantly to CADTH, particularly in establishing the Programs directorate. Her positive approach throughout CADTH’s recent organizational changes has been invaluable, and her commitment to the Agency’s core mission and values has been instrumental in ensuring greater uptake and impact of our work.

Glenna Benson will assume the role of Vice-President, Programs. Likewise, Lynda Jobin has accepted the position of Vice-President, Corporate Services. Glenna and Lynda will assume their new responsibilities effective October 17, 2011.

Glenna has held a broad range of responsibilities over her eight-year tenure at CADTH, including the Communications, Knowledge Exchange, and Liaison Program portfolios. This, combined with her track record in planning and priority setting, financial management, and customer service, position her well for this new role. 

Lynda has broad CADTH experience, having held the positions of Director, Governance and Evaluation; Director, HTA Project Operations; Director, Liaison Program and Policy Forum; and Manager, Program Administration. Lynda has made contributions to all parts of CADTH over the past six years, and will retain her responsibilities related to Governance and Evaluation at this time.     

These changes will ensure continuity as the Agency continues to deliver on its mandate of supporting informed health care decisions in Canada.