Improving Access to Care:
CADTH’s Perspective
Dr. Brian O’Rourke
CADTH President and CEO
April 18, 2013
Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH)
Founded in 1989
Private, not-for-profit
corporation
Funded by Health Canada,
the provinces and territories
140 employees,
$21.5M budget CADTH supports informed
decisions by providing impartial,
evidence-based research and
advice on drugs and other health
technologies.
Patient and Public Engagement in the
Common Drug Review
Public
Citizens interested in health care
system efficiency and fairness
Patient
Someone with a health condition
who receives a service
2010
Patient input process
• Provides patient perspectives
• Incorporated systematically
2006
2 public members on the Canadian
Drug Expert Committee (CDEC)
• Provide public perspective
• Have full voting rights
Patient Input Submission Includes:
• Information about submitting group
• Impact of condition and current treatment on patients
o Issues and outcomes of importance
o Benefits and adverse effects
o Unmet needs
• Experience with or expectations for new drug
• Additional information
How Patient Input Is Used
Patient input collated, summarized,
used to inform protocol and
included review report
Patient input presented, used in
deliberations and reflected in
recommendations
CADTH Review
Team
Expert
Committee
Drug Plans Patient
input
shared
Patient Input Submission Canadian Patient
Groups
Reasons and
recommendations
published
Original input and
summary sent to
CDEC
Patient
input
shared
Patient
evidence
shared
Patient
evidence
shared
Patient
input
shared
Patient
input
shared
• Patient input process is on par with, or more developed
than, the process at most HTA agencies
• Process, template, and guidance documents are clear,
relevant, and well understood
• Learnings from international peers were identified that
could be implemented
• Need to align all stakeholders on the purpose, value,
and credibility of soliciting patient input as evidence in
the CDR process
2011-2012 Patient Input Evaluation
Next Steps
• SECOR Evaluation Report and management response
are posted (www.cadth.ca)
• Will continue to improve the process:
o Phased approach, starting with those that are
easy and quick
o Using learnings from other organizations
• National (e.g., pCODR), international (e.g.,
NICE, SMC)
o Using and/or adapting material already available
• Communicate changes
• Continue to evaluate and improve