Health system decisions are shaped by many factors, but one of the most important is evidence.
In a year of unprecedented challenges, CADTH continued to deliver on a fundamental need of all health system decision-makers — credible evidence.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am delighted to present CADTH’s 2020–2021 Annual Report, outlining the many achievements of CADTH that were accomplished during the difficult circumstances of a global pandemic.
The pandemic touched all aspects of the agency’s work, directly or indirectly. And I am proud of how everyone at CADTH stepped up, with innovation, creativity, and resilience on full display.
Not only were the core activities of the agency delivered with their usual quality and care, but we also responded to the rapidly evolving needs of the health care system as it battled a virus spreading across the country.
At a time when large volumes of evidence moved to publication at a breakneck pace, CADTH’s skills in evidence appraisal, rapid synthesis, and horizon scanning were in demand. As emerging therapies and products for COVID-19 came to the fore, assessments were delivered to support pan-Canadian pandemic responses and to help guide implementation discussions for novel, and urgently needed, health technologies.
CADTH also recognized the importance of its core programs to jurisdictions. In the midst of intense disruption to parts of the health system, CADTH stayed the course and continued to deliver reimbursement recommendations to meet the needs of decision-makers and patients. Health technology reviews and rapid evidence reviews also continued without interruption, addressing critical practice and policy questions.
A heartfelt thanks to all employees and our partners for their dedication and commitment to CADTH, the health system, and ultimately the patients and members of the public who benefit from our work.
Less than four months after the onset of the pandemic in Canada, CADTH also had a change in leadership. Dr. Brian O’Rourke retired as President and Chief Executive Officer after more than a decade at the helm. The Board of Directors is grateful for the indelible legacy left by Brian, including increased stakeholder engagement, the incorporation of patient input into reviews, the establishment of the Patient and Community Advisory Committee, and the integration of the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review in CADTH, to name but a few.
In July 2020, we welcomed Suzanne McGurn as our new President and CEO. Suzanne has provided great leadership for CADTH during the most tumultuous period in our history, bringing to the position experience, knowledge, and a passion for the work we do. We are fortunate to have her steady hand on the tiller.
As we plan for the return to a more normal life in Canada, we look forward to the future with the confidence of an organization that met, and bested, the challenges of the past year.
I am pleased to share our 2020–2021 Annual Report — my first as CADTH President and CEO.
Leading an evidence-driven organization during a year when health care decision-makers were driven by “the evidence” has been incredibly daunting and humbling. It’s been a learning experience like no other, with unique challenges that come from joining an organization mid-pandemic and getting to know my exceptional staff through Zoom and MS Teams. It was not what I imagined when I accepted this position, but I’m so proud of my entire team, and, as highlighted in our annual report, everything we accomplished this year.
The pandemic’s impact on Canadian health care systems has been unprecedented, but it has also provided new perspectives on what is possible when it comes to health system transformation. It has underscored the changing nature of evidence — whether it be emerging, evolving, or well-established — and the critical role of science in health system decision-making. In response, our team has worked diligently to adapt quickly, develop new methodological approaches, and think differently to respond to the evolving needs of patients, policy-makers, and health care professionals.
During the past year, I’ve been reminded how much relationships matter. The relationships CADTH built over many years have been pivotal to our efforts. I am grateful to the patient groups, pharmaceutical and medical device industries, regulators, clinical societies, and pan-Canadian health organizations, as well as our Canadian and global health technology assessment colleagues, for their continued collaboration with CADTH under challenging circumstances. Our collective efforts have increased trust across the health care system and among organizations, and elevated discussions and expectations about what we can and should do in the future. Working together has highlighted Aristotle’s saying that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the excellent and unwavering support of the CADTH Executive Team, the CEO Office, and all staff throughout the organization. Everyone welcomed me to CADTH and helped me transition smoothly to my new role. I’d like to thank them for their expert advice and willingness to quickly adapt and respond to the emerging health priorities brought on by the pandemic.
Finally, I would like to thank David Agnew, Chair of CADTH’s Board of Directors, and all the Directors for their warm welcome to the organization. They have offered me valuable support and encouragement during this unprecedented year.
Created in 1989 by Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial governments, CADTH was born from the idea that Canada needs a coordinated approach to assess health technologies. The result is a pan-Canadian organization that harnesses expertise from every region and produces evidence-informed solutions that benefit patients in jurisdictions across the country.
Over the years, we have grown to become a key resource to the health care system. Here is some of what we do:
CADTH is represented by a talented and highly skilled team of professionals with expertise in clinical and health economics research, information services and librarianship, policy analysis, ethics, knowledge translation, and implementation support. Through their day-to-day efforts, they continue to uphold our reputation for excellence. In turn, we are committed to nurturing an engaging workplace that fosters a diverse and inclusive culture, anchored in mutual respect and the promotion of wellness and well-being.
Patients and clinicians are among the most important beneficiaries of our work, and we strive to engage them in meaningful and constructive ways through our committees and panels and many opportunities for input and feedback. Stakeholder input provides CADTH with important insights through a real-world lens.
Zal Press, Vice-Chair of CADTH’s Patient and Community Advisory Committee, describes CADTH as a role model for patient engagement: “Money…enables participation. [CADTH] compensate[s] us for our time equal to the compensation they provide other experts.”
Sometimes there simply is not enough good evidence available to be able to answer an important health care question. We work with partners and stakeholders to cultivate an environment of evidence generation and adoption across Canada. CADTH is uniquely positioned to champion the importance of meaningful evidence and to direct its generation and use, which then leads to better health care decisions.
Dr. Idan Roifman from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre says that CADTH’s Health Technology Reviews were instrumental in helping the Canadian Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance and the Canadian Heart Rhythm Society develop guidance for MRI. CADTH’s work was considered “outstanding” and “it provided a serious basis for the recommendations.”
The power of our knowledge is multiplied every time it is shared. Our website and journal are accessible to everyone. We also have Implementation Support and Knowledge Mobilization Officers located in communities across the country who can bring evidence and solutions to the doorstep of those who need them. And we continue to develop new ways to share our evidence.
CADTH recognizes the inherent and treaty rights of all First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across this land. We acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past and are committed to moving forward in partnership with Indigenous communities in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration. CADTH staff work across Canada, residing on various traditional lands and collaborating with Indigenous governments, health care providers, and community members. Our Ottawa offices are located on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation. Our Toronto offices are located on the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples.
When COVID-19 hit Canada, CADTH responded quickly.
CADTH’s work is used to inform decisions about the appropriate use of drugs, diagnostics, and medical and surgical devices and procedures. Our programs and services include:
Horizon Scans | A high-level summary of a new or emerging health technology that is likely to have a significant impact on the delivery of health care in Canada. |
Reference Lists | A compilation of references on a specific health care topic, with abstracts and links to full-text documents, if available. |
Reimbursement Reviews | A comprehensive assessment of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a drug or drug class that also includes clinician and patient perspectives. These assessments inform non-binding recommendations that help guide Canada’s federal, provincial (with the exception of Quebec), and territorial governments’ reimbursement decisions. Implementation advice and funding algorithms are provided if applicable. |
Health Technology Reviews |
A customized review of a health technology that may consist of one — or a combination — of the following:
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Scientific Advice | Advice to pharmaceutical companies on their early drug development plans from a health technology assessment perspective. |
Implementation Support and Knowledge Mobilization | Specialized products, tools, and services to help health care decision-makers use and implement CADTH information, recommendations, and advice. |
A snapshot of CADTH’s output in 2020 – 2021:
CADTH delivered the following number of reports:
Horizon Scans | 23 |
Reference Lists | 165 |
Reimbursement Reviews | 58 |
Health Technology Reviews | 129 |
CADTH issued the following number of Reimbursement Recommendations:
Reimbursement Recommendations | 58 |
Alignment of Oncology Reimbursement Recommendations with Listing Decisions | 98% |
Alignment of Non-Oncology Reimbursement Recommendations with Listing Decisions | 93% |
CADTH hosted the following number of events:
Presentations and Webinars | 120 |
Workshops | 46 |
CADTH events had the following attendance:
2020 Virtual CADTH Symposium Registration | 2,127 |
CADTH COVID-19 Lecture Series Attendance | >18,000 |
CADTH.ca and the CADTH COVID-19 website received the following number of site visits:
CADTH.ca Site Visits | 1,137,468 |
CADTH.ca Report Downloads | >4,733,014 |
CADTH COVID-19 Website Visits | >47,000 |
CADTH’s Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook pages had the following number of impressions and interactions from followers (measured as engagement):
Social Media Impressions | 4,764,347 |
Social Media Engagement | >113,467 |
Through our products, services, and partnerships, CADTH delivers trusted, evidence-based information, advice, and recommendations to senior health care decision-makers. Here are some highlights of what we accomplished this year.
The COVID-19 pandemic deeply affected patients, families, communities, health systems, governments, and economies. But it also brought new attention and importance to the role that science and evidence brings to public policy and decision-making.
In 2020–2021, we demonstrated our ability to adapt quickly to deliver evidence, recommendations, and advice to our federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdictional partners. However, the pandemic underscored the importance of making scientific evidence more broadly accessible. Going forward, to maximize our value and ensure that our evidence delivers impact, CADTH’s work needs to be understandable and usable to a wider range of health care stakeholders, including the public.
We are in the midst of establishing our next 3-year strategic plan. We’re confident that the lessons we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic — and our trusted reputation, expertise in assessing health technologies, and strong relationships with stakeholders across the health care spectrum — position us well to continue to serve the Canadian health care system in the post-pandemic era and in a rapidly changing health care landscape.
David Agnew
President, Seneca College
Toronto, Ontario
Dr. Brendan Carr
President and CEO, Nova Scotia Health Authority
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Dr. Charmaine Roye Ottawa, Ontario
Dr. Stuart Peacock
Co-Director, Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control (ARCC)
Distinguished Scientist, Cancer Control Research, British Columbia Cancer Agency
Professor, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia
Cathy McIntyre Victoria, British Columbia
Ellen Pekilis Toronto, Ontario
Marcel Saulnier
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy Branch, Health Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
Mark Wyatt
Assistant Deputy Minister, Government of Saskatchewan
Regina, Saskatchewan
Mitch Moneo
Assistant Deputy Minister, Pharmaceutical Services Division, BC Ministry of Health
Victoria, British Columbia
Patrick Dicerni
Assistant Deputy Minister and Executive Officer, Drugs and Devices Division, Ontario Public Drug Programs, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Toronto, Ontario
Karen Stone
Assistant Deputy Minister of Health and Community Services, Government of Newfoundland
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Jeannine Lagasse
Assistant Deputy Minister, Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Stephen Samis
Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Government of Yukon
Whitehorse, Yukon
Dr. Luc Boileau
President and CEO, INESSS
Québec, Québec
Suzanne McGurn President and CEO
Dr. Nicole Mittmann Chief Scientist and Vice-President, Evidence Standards
Brent Fraser Vice-President, Pharmaceutical Reviews
Dr. Lesley Dunfield Acting Vice-President, Medical Devices and Clinical Interventions
Heather Logan Executive Strategy Lead
Megan Ashlee Bowes Vice-President, Corporate Services
Prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP