An International Case Study: Comparative Effectiveness Research in Ontario Canada

The Center for Medical Technology Policy recently completed a case study for the Institute of Medicine that describes the network of programs in place in Ontario, Canada to carry out comparative effectiveness research studies. These studies address questions posed by health care decision-makers concerning emerging technologies and promote evidence-based technology diffusion. In the United States, the growing demand for information to support evidence-based decision-making has created a need for the design and implementation of a system of prospective evidence generation aimed at addressing evidence gaps of importance to the health care community. Although the United States health care system differs from Ontario’s in size, complexity, and design, Ontario’s experiences provide important insights into the workforce, organization, and funding required to build a capacity to conduct comparative effectiveness in the United States.  This issue brief presents an overview of the efforts in Ontario followed by several policy recommendations for creating an infrastructure and assuring funding of comparative effectiveness in the United States.