Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health

From CCOHTA to CADTH

The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) is an independent, not-for-profit organization conceived by Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial ministers of health on December 7, 1989. Originally named the Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment (CCOHTA), the office opened its doors in August of 1990. Its mandate was to provide Canadian health care policy decision makers with evidence-based information on emerging and existing medical devices.

In 1993, the Conference of the Deputy Ministers of Health added Pharmaceutical reviews to its mandate, and CCOHTA’s budget more than tripled. The next milestone came in 1994 with the publication of Canada’s first-ever set of guidelines for the economic evaluation of pharmaceuticals. These guidelines, which have undergone subsequent revisions, are used throughout the country to assist producers of economic evaluations in generating credible, standardized economic information that is relevant and useful to decision makers in Canada’s publicly funded health care system.

A landmark court ruling in 1998 confirmed the agency’s independence by overruling Bristol-Myers-Squibb Canada’s request to halt the release of a CCOHTA report on pravastatin (Pravachol). The Ontario Superior Court found CCOHTA had followed proper procedures, conducted a responsible evaluation and affirmed CCOHTA’s autonomy by allowing the report’s publication.

CCOHTA continued to diversify and grow during a dynamic second decade. In December 1999, the Conference of Deputy Ministers (CDM) of Health approved its first five-year business plan that laid out a much more ambitious vision for the organization.

In September 2002, the Conference of Deputy Ministers selected CCOHTA to manage the Common Drug Review (CDR), a single process for reviewing new drugs and providing listing recommendations to participating publicly-funded federal, provincial and territorial drug benefit plans in Canada.

In response to the Romanow Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada, and the Kirby Senate Study of the State of the Health Care System in Canada, the federal government’s February 2003 budget directed new funding to CCOHTA totaling $45 million over five years to address the growing need for reliable evidence-based information.

CCOHTA launched the Liaison Officer Program in 2003. This unique program places Liaison Officers within the provinces and territories to actively engage with jurisdictional health care decision makers and create strong links between CCOHTA and its stakeholders. CCOHTA continued to expand with the creation of the Canadian Optimal Medication Prescribing and Utilization Service (COMPUS). Launched in March 2004, COMPUS, in partnership with the federal, provincial, and territorial health ministries, identifies and promotes optimal drug prescribing and use among health care providers and consumers. It is the first service of its kind anywhere in the world.

Also in 2004, Canada’s Health Ministers approved a new Canadian Health Technology Strategy (HTS 1.0). The Strategy arose from the 2003 Accord on Health Care Renewal, and confirms CCOHTA’s status as Canada’s health technology agency and represents a collaborative approach towards ensuring that Canadians have ongoing access to appropriate health care technology.

In 2005, the Health Technology Inquiry Service (HTIS) was established to provide Canadian health care decision makers access to available health technology information, based on the best available evidence, in a quick and efficient manner. HTIS responds to inquiries about drugs, devices, and procedures. Depending on the urgency and/or complexity of the request, information is provided within anywhere from 24 hours to 30 business days.

On April 3, 2006, the Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment was reborn as the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), a name that better reflects the breadth of services the organization now provides to Canadian health care decision makers.

Today, CADTH, continues to work closely with national and international partners and has become a recognized world leader in health technology assessment. Its mandate continues to grow and the organization continues to evolve in support of its goal which is to facilitate the appropriate and effective utilization of health technologies within health care systems across Canada.

Ready for the future

The demand for evidence-based advice is expected to grow. In 1989, when the agency was founded, health spending was at $56 billion. Today, total health care expenditures have reached $172 billion annually.

CADTH has become known as small behind-the-scenes organization that has been making a big contribution to health care in Canada for the past 20 years. As the complexity, cost and rate of technological change all increase, health system management must improve.

The agency is well positioned to continue to play a critical role in ensuring that the technologies developed meet Canada’s health care needs. A recognized international leader in providing evidence-based health information, from drug reviews to health technology assessments and optimal prescribing advice. CADTH will support the effectiveness, capacity and sustainability of Canada's health system well into the future.