Informing decision makers about emerging medical technologies
Health Technology Update covers a cross section of new or innovative health technologies that may or may not have Health Canada approval. Some of the technologies may already be licensed for use in the US or elsewhere, while others are being used only in clinical trials. Some not-so-new technologies are already licensed for use in Canada, but high costs or other factors may be influencing their rate of uptake and diffusion.
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Pharmacy technician, Betty Cheechoo, fills a prescription at the Weeneebayko General Hospital in Moose Factory, ON.
Photo courtesy of Kevin McDonald
An emerging type of delivery system may be a prescription for the current shortage of pharmacists in Canada.
Telepharmacy is an application of telehealth. It allows pharmacy services to be provided at a remote site, while a pharmacist supervises the work from a central site, using telecommunication and information technologies.
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Patient in the Leksell Gamma Knife head frame.
Photo courtesy of Elekta
The Leksell Gamma Knife uses multiple beams of radiation to perform stereotactic radiosurgery inside the skull without making an incision.
With pinpoint accuracy that spares surrounding tissue, the radiation destroys lesions within the brain, including tumours, arteriovenous malformations and other abnormalities that cause functional disorders, such as trigeminal neuralgia.
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The Celacade system treats the patient's blood in a machine that is slightly larger than a desktop computer.
Photo courtesy of Vasogen Inc.
A new treatment uses a modified sample of a patient's own blood to stimulate the immune system to fight chronic inflammation that damages the heart.
The TempTouch probe is curved to facilitate contact with the bottom of the feet.
Photo courtesy of Xilas Medical Inc.
A digital foot thermometer used in the home can help people with diabetes check for "hot spots" on the soles of their feet.
The portable device monitors foot temperature fluctuations, which commonly occur before ulcers break through the skin.
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The self-expanding, flexible, nitinol (nickel-titanium) Zilver®PTX™ stent is the size of a crayon.
Photo courtesy of Cook Inc.
Drug eluting stents, a treatment for blocked arteries in the legs. Not yet approved for this indication anywhere in the world, these stents are being evaluated in clinical trials.
Waveform communication guides the use of the Safe Cross® system in an arterial occlusion.
Photo courtesy of Intraluminal Therapeutics Inc.
A minimally invasive technology for clearing totally blocked coronary arteries may allow more patients to be treated with coronary angioplasty and stenting procedures rather thanwith open heart surgery.
The Safe-Cross® Radiofrequency Total Occlusion Crossing System combines a visual display and guidance technology with radiofrequency energy delivered through a catheter guide wire to burn through blockages in coronary arteries.
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Recent publications from CCOHTA and other HTA agencies
As part of our horizon scanning we check the web sites of other HTAagencies for recent assessments that may be of interest to Canadian health care decision makers. Unless otherwise stated, these publications are available without cost at the web sites shown below.
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