COMPUS Communiqué – Vol. 3, No. 12

October 23, 2007

In This Issue

Call for Input on Diabetes Management: Insulin Analogues Reports

The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), through its COMPUS program, has posted three draft reports for stakeholder review and feedback:

Draft Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

These two reports provide an update of previously published CADTH meta-analyses that estimated the expected clinical outcomes associated with the use of long-acting and rapid-acting insulin analogues for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) (published through the Health Technology Assessment program in 2007).

The COMPUS update includes studies published up to May 2007, while the HTA Technology Report concludes their literature review at February 2006. Additionally, the research questions and additional outcomes that were incorporated into the COMPUS update provide for a broader review. These additional research questions and outcomes were requested by the COMPUS Expert Review Committee (CERC).

Overall, the goal of these reports is to provide a systematic review of the available literature and to provide meta-analyses, estimating the effect of using:

  • rapid-acting insulin analogues in comparison to regular human insulin and oral anti-diabetic agents for the treatment of type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes
  • long-acting insulin analogues relative to comparator human insulins for the treatment of patients with type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.

Stakeholder Feedback Request:

CADTH is seeking feedback from all interested stakeholders on these draft reports, specifically on the comprehensiveness, accuracy, and methodology used in generating the reports. Your input will inform the COMPUS Expert Review Committee (CERC), and assist in the formulation of recommendations on the optimal prescribing of long-acting and rapid-acting insulin analogues.

Two online feedback forms have been developed to help collate feedback on these two draft reports. Please use the appropriate stakeholder feedback form to submit your input. Your response to this call for feedback is requested by November 6, 2007.

Draft GRADE Evidence Profiles

COMPUS used the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to develop individual evidence profiles (Draft GRADE Evidence Profiles: Long- and Rapid-Acting Insulin Analogues) for each treatment comparison. The GRADE approach is designed to assist recommendation-making groups in making judgments about:

  • the overall quality of evidence, as provided by the meta-analyses (COMPUS Draft Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses reports)
  • the strength of the optimal therapy recommendations generated by CERC.

For further information on the GRADE process, see GRADE Working Group, Atkins D, Best D, Briss PA, Eccles M, Falck-Ytter Y, et al. Grading quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. BMJ 2004;328(7454):1490. Available: http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/reprint/328/7454/1490.pdf (accessed 2007 Oct 4).

Stakeholder Feedback Request:

CADTH is seeking feedback from all interested stakeholders on the Draft GRADE Evidence Profiles on Long- and Rapid-Acting Insulin Analogues. Input is specifically requested on decisions/judgments contained within the draft report, and on the application of the GRADE process. Your input will inform CERC, and assist in the formulation of recommendations on the optimal prescribing of long-acting and rapid-acting insulin analogues.

Please use the online stakeholder feedback form for submitting your input to assist us with collation. Your response to this call for feedback is requested by November 6, 2007.

Employment Opportunities

CADTH has many exciting job openings. If you’re interested in joining our growing team of professionals, visit the Careers/Job Listings on the CADTH web site.