COMPUS Communiqué – Vol. 4, No. 1

January 28, 2008

In This Issue

COMPUS Work Informs Improved Access to Proton Pump Inhibitors in Nova Scotia

The Nova Scotia Pharmacare Program announced new criteria for coverage of Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) in their December 2007 Pharmacists’ Bulletin, to become effective January 11, 2008.

The Bulletin states that the “COMPUS Scientific Report [on PPIs] provided the evidence base to support current changes to PPI policies in the Nova Scotia Pharmacare Program.” The policy change includes a benefit status change for Omeprazole and Rabeprazole, which will both be insured as full benefits when prescribed at the standard daily dose, no longer requiring special authorization for coverage under the Nova Scotia Pharmacare Program.

This change is in line with the COMPUS key messages on PPIs which include:

  • All PPIs are equally efficacious in the initial treatment of GERD, dyspepsia and other common gastrointestinal conditions
  • Doubling the standard daily dose of PPIs, as initial therapy, is no better than standard daily-dose therapy

Barb Shea, Vice President of COMPUS at the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), was pleased to receive word of the Nova Scotia policy changes.

“This policy change in Nova Scotia is an excellent example of how COMPUS supports decision-makers in making decisions leading to optimal drug therapy. When a drug first comes on the market, there is limited evidence available to decision makers on the drug’s appropriate use. After a drug has been on the market for some time, COMPUS assists decision makers by reviewing evidence related to clinical- and cost-effectiveness, current utilization and practice information and gaps between evidence and practice. In the case of the PPI topic, it has resulted in a change in Nova Scotia.”

Nova Scotia will be implementing educational interventions to support changes in PPI polices. They will include academic detailing; a series of educational programs for pharmacists; and tele-health presentations for nurses, among other opportunities to promote this information.

COMPUS has developed a variety of ready-to-use products (such as presentations and prescribing aids) to assist decision makers and educators in conveying COMPUS key messages on the PPI topic. These are supported by Optimal Therapy Reports and may be found on the CADTH web site: www.cadth.ca/compustools. These products are being used widely across Canada to assist health care professionals, policy makers and patients in the effective use of PPIs. Watch the CADTH web site to learn more about where and how our information is being used.

For further information please contact COMPUS at compusinfo@cadth.ca.

Diabetes Management Topic Area

The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), through its Canadian Optimal Medication Prescribing and Utilization Service (COMPUS) is producing a series of optimal therapy reports on the insulin analogues component of our diabetes management topic area.

Economic Report
The feedback deadline on the draft economic report was extended from December 21, 2007 to January 11, 2007. Thank you for your feedback on this document. Your input will assist COMPUS and the COMPUS Expert Review Committee in making recommendations toward optimal prescribing of rapid-acting and long-acting insulin analogues. The final economic report is scheduled to be posted on the CADTH web site in March 2008.

Next Topic Area: revision
The COMPUS Advisory Committee (CAC) selected six topic areas for COMPUS under our diabetes management project. The next topic area scheduled for study was to be the oral anti-diabetic agents however, based on a reassessment of priorities of our CAC members, COMPUS will focus next on the optimal use of home blood glucose monitoring in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The topic area of oral anti-diabetic agents will be considered by the CAC and COMPUS after the home blood glucose monitoring topics.

COMPUS researchers are presently scoping the home blood glucose monitoring topics. Stakeholders will be informed of consultation opportunities through the COMPUS Communiqué.

Rx for Change Web Cast Available Online

The Rx for Change web cast, held on December 10, 2007, was a tremendous success with over 200 participants. We would like to thank Dr. Jeremy Grimshaw, Director of the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care, for providing part of the presentation, which included a question and answer period.

Evaluation forms returned to CADTH indicated a very positive response from participants. Of those responding, 91% say they plan to use Rx for Change to access evidence-based information to improve drug prescribing and use.

For those who were unable to participate in this live event, the web cast is available online at www.rxforchange.ca.

Employment Opportunities

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

Feedback

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