COMPUS Communiqué — Vol. 5, No. 2

May 22, 2009

In This Issue

CADTH Announces COMPUS’ Next Topic in Diabetes Management

The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) has identified second-line therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes after the failure of metformin to control glycemic levels as the next topic for COMPUS in the area of diabetes management. With this topic, CADTH will continue to identify and promote optimal therapy for the treatment of diabetes in Canada.

Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease, where glycemic levels worsen over time. Today, metformin is recommended as the first-line oral antidiabetes agent in most patients with type 2 diabetes when lifestyle modifications alone cannot achieve glycemic control.

But what happens when metformin monotherapy fails? Eventually, most patients need two or more oral antidiabetes agents, or insulin, added to their treatment regimen to achieve targeted glycemic levels.

Existing clinical guidelines recommend several options for second-line therapy, but these are primarily based on consensus. The lack of high-quality evidence that directly compares different treatment regimens is a major barrier to recommending one drug class, or combination of therapies, as second-line treatment in patients failing on metformin monotherapy.

By reviewing the evidence, developing optimal therapy recommendations, and providing supporting intervention tools, CADTH will give health professionals, policy makers, and patients the evidence-based resources they need to make sound decisions in this broad therapeutic area.

Mark Your Calendar: Opportunity to Provide Additional Studies for
Type 2 Diabetes Topic on June 4, 2009

Work is currently underway to develop a list of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that will be included in the systematic review for the project to identify optimal second-line therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes after the failure of metformin to control glycemic levels. On Thursday, June 4, 2009 CADTH will post the list of studies on its website and invite all interested parties to provide feedback and suggestions for additional studies that have not been included. Watch for the official call for feedback in the June edition of the COMPUS Communiqué.

Mark Your Calendar: View Webinar on Insulin Analogues on June 18 or 23, 2009

CADTH, in partnership with the University of British Columbia Continuing Professional Development division, is pleased to host a free, online Continuing Medical Education (CME) program examining the use of insulin analogues for the treatment of diabetes. The College of Family Physicians of Canada has approved this interactive webinar for up to 1.0 MAINPRO-M1 and MOC Section 1 study credits.

Join Dr. Marshall Dahl, a leading endocrinologist, as he reviews the evidence supporting the use of human insulin and insulin analogues in the treatment of diabetes. This session will also identify the optimal use of insulin preparations for diabetes in the general population and with special cases where insulin analogues should be considered.

Insulin Preparations ─ Which Types for Which Patients?

  • Thursday, June 18, 2009 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. EDT
    or
  • Tuesday, June 23, 2009 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EDT

    Space is limited     ─ register now!

For more information about the webinar, please contact us at compusinfo@cadth.ca. Evidence-based Optimal Therapy Reports and Intervention Tools are also available to support the optimal prescribing and use of insulin analogues.

CADTH Employment Opportunities

CADTH is seeking candidates for a variety of positions that are posted on the Careers page.

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