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CADTH » Search All Products » Optimal Use » About Optimal Use

About Optimal Use

The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) conducts Optimal Use Projects to encourage ideal prescribing, purchasing, and use of drugs and health technologies by health care providers, policy-makers, and consumers.

Optimal Use Projects are often large projects involving systematic reviews of clinical evidence and cost-effectiveness, and development of recommendations and guidance, often in collaboration with a committee or panel comprised of subject-matter experts, public representatives, and other stakeholders from across Canada. To support the implementation of recommendations, CADTH also develops supporting documents and knowledge exchange tools.

Optimal Use: Project Process

The process for each CADTH Optimal Use Project is customized to best achieve the particular objectives of that project. Generally, each project includes the following elements:

  • CADTH receives a product request and begins to assess the feasibility of conducting the project.

  • Working with the requestor, CADTH establishes or refines the research questions to be addressed and the approximate timelines for the project.

  • Following CADTH approval of the project, a multidisciplinary project team is established and the project is launched. 

    • Typically, the team includes internal and external clinical and economic researchers, information specialists, knowledge exchange specialists, and administrative and management support. Additional specialists and experts are incorporated as required.  

  • A protocol is developed that outlines the methods for conducting the research (e.g., the process for identifying the scientific literature needed for the clinical and economic evidence).

  • Information specialists conduct the literature searches.

  • The researchers select the literature to be included in the review, based on criteria developed specifically for the project.

    • Stakeholders are given an opportunity to provide feedback on the list of scientific literature to be included; the researchers review and incorporate the feedback when appropriate.

  • The researchers critically appraise and analyze the evidence from the literature (clinical, economic, policy, psychosocial, legal, ethical, etc.).

  • An environmental scan or additional research is conducted to identify current practice and utilization relevant to the project.

  • One or more draft science reports are written and posted on the CADTH website for stakeholder feedback. Once any resulting changes are incorporated into the reports, they are reviewed by the project expert committee or panel.

  • The expert committee or panel meet to consider the evidence and develop recommendations.

  • The draft recommendations or guidance reports are posted for stakeholder feedback.

  • Working with the requestor and the rest of the project team, the knowledge exchange specialists select intervention tools and validate key messages.

  • Science and recommendations reports are finalized based on feedback from the requestor and other stakeholders, and posted on the CADTH website.

  • Led by the knowledge exchange specialists, the intervention tools are developed.

  • CADTH provides implementation support and tool adaptation in response to stakeholder requirements.

  • The project is evaluated and its impact is tracked.