Appropriate Use Advisory Committee: Terms of reference

Context

Budget 2019 announced the development of the Canadian Drug Agency (CDA), which included $35 million over 4 years, starting in 2019-20. The Canadian Drug Agency Transition Office (CDATO) was established in spring 2021 to provide dedicated leadership and develop recommendations, an implementation plan and staging for the creation of the CDA.

Significant engagement demonstrated the need to improve the appropriate use^{Footnote 1} of pharmaceutical drugs. Potential areas of improvement included prescribing, achieving better health outcomes, and drug plan sustainability. The CDATO Appropriate Use Advisory Committee (the Advisory Committee) is a forum to share information, enhance capacity, support collaboration and provide advice to address appropriate use in Canada. The Advisory Committee will advise the CDATO on the development of a pan-Canadian strategy for appropriate use and the corresponding roles and responsibilities of the CDA program.

Mandate

The mandate of the Advisory Committee is to bring together representatives from appropriate use organizations, and the clinician and patient communities, to:

• Support the development of a pan-Canadian strategy for appropriate use to provide a common vision for the design, implementation and evaluation of programs and initiatives.
• Advise and provide recommendations on the roles and responsibilities for the CDA appropriate use program to provide the greatest value and impact to the existing landscape.
• Develop a forward agenda and identify priority areas to be addressed by the CDA appropriate use resources.
• Ensure alignment and identify opportunities to decrease duplication of efforts and maximize resources, to deliver greater value to Canada's health care systems.
• Consider and share insights to support the advancement of appropriate use policies, programs and activities.

Activities to address these priorities may include launching subject specific sub-working groups, as needed, to nuance and enhance the policy and program discussions and collaborations around the various aspects of the CDA's work to advance appropriate use.

Membership

Core membership at minimum will be comprised of representation or designate from the following groups:

• Appropriate Use Organizations
• Clinicians
• Pan-Canadian Health Organizations
• Insurers
• Patients
• Public

Health Canada will be an ex-officio member.

Members agree to work collaboratively to:

• Provide strategic advice
• Share expertise and information with all members

The Advisory Committee will be chaired by Stephen Samis.

As needed, with the endorsement of the membership, the chair may invite additional individuals or organizations to participate on a temporary and/or ongoing basis to address evolving needs of the CDATO's work.

Confidentiality

Members are aware that some of the information shared amongst the Advisory Committee is confidential in nature. As such, members agree not to disclose any confidential information to any outside persons or organizations.

Meetings

The Advisory Committee will meet virtually on a recurring basis, approximately once a month or as needed. Upon agreement of the Advisory Committee, external experts or special guests will be invited to attend and/or present to the Advisory Committee or take part in discussions.

The Advisory Committee will be a limited time initiative, beginning work in March 2023 and sun setting with the CDATO in 2024.

Support

CDATO will provide secretariat support for this work, including, organizing meetings, preparing meeting summaries, developing draft materials to support the discussion, coordinating membership & guest participation, and providing administration support.

In addition, the CDATO will liaise with the Advisory Committee members on a bilateral basis as needed, likewise with members of sub working groups.