Letter for use by Nominator for CERC Core Members:

XXXXXXXX, 2009

Subject: Nomination to the COMPUS Expert Review Committee

Dear Prospective Nominee,

The purpose of this letter is to request your consent to nominate you to the Canadian Optimal Medication Prescribing and Utilization Service (COMPUS) Expert Review Committee (CERC). I believe that you have the necessary qualifications for serving on this Committee as a Core Member and would contribute significantly to its work. To help you with your decision, following is a brief description of COMPUS and CERC, and attached are several documents which provide further information about this Committee.

COMPUS

The COMPUS program, delivered through the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), is a collaborative, national service funded by Health Canada. In partnership with the federal, provincial, and territorial Health Ministries, COMPUS identifies and promotes evidence-based optimal drug prescribing and use among health care providers and consumers.

COMPUS objectives include: identifying evidence-based optimal drug prescribing and use; providing advice, tools, and proven strategies to jurisdictions for their use of this information; developing and maintaining an inventory or virtual library of evidence-based and cost-effectiveness information on optimal drug therapy; linking and exchanging information with national and international parties active in optimal drug therapy; and identifying research gaps in drug therapy.

CERC

CERC is an independent advisory body consisting of Core Members (including public members) and Specialist Experts.It makes recommendations related to the identification, evaluation and promotion of optimal drug prescribing and use in Canada. Core Members are appointed to serve for all topics under consideration by COMPUS, while Specialist Experts are appointed to provide advice and input for the topic in their particular area of expertise. Core Members may work concurrently with more than one set of Specialist Experts. Each member contributes his or her expertise and experience but does not represent a society, association or organization. The Committee’s approach is evidencebased and its advice reflects current medical and scientific knowledge, as well as clinical practice in the Canadian health care system.

Nomination of Members

The CADTH Board of Directors has recently approved CERC’s constitution, and the CERC Nominating Committee is seeking interest from qualified individuals from across the country. Once nominations are complete, the CERC Nominating Committee will identify and recommend a slate of candidates for appointment by the CADTH Board. In establishing the slate, the qualifications of each candidate will be assessed against stated criteria that are consistent with qualifications and requirements included in the CERC Terms of Reference. For the initial CERC, one-half of the Core Members will be appointed for a three-year period and one-half for a two-year period; thereafter, the appointments will be for two-year periods. We anticipate that the appointments will be made in spring 2009.

Time Commitment

We anticipate two face-to-face, one to two-day meetings and eight3 hour teleconferences or videoconferences per year. These will be scheduled in advance (generally the same day in each month – for example, every fourth Thursday of the month, with no meeting in December).

Additional meetings may be held at the call of the Chairas neededand may be by teleconference or videoconference. The face-to-face meetings will usually be held in Ottawa. Each meeting will require some preparation, as background material will be circulated for review prior to each meeting. Also, from time to time, members will be asked to provide feedback and input on circulated documents.

Reimbursement

Reimbursement, consistent with that of CADTH’s current expert advisory committees, will be provided for meeting preparation and meeting attendance time, as well as for any time spent in providing input or feedback on documents. CADTH’s current per diem rates are $1,000 per day for Committee members and $1,500 per day for the Chair. Expenses and travel costs related to attending the CERC meetings will be covered in accordance with CADTH’s expense guidelines.

Indemnification

CADTH will indemnify aCommittee member against personal civil liability, incurred by reason of any act or omission within the scope of the member’s activity, and it will make no claim against that member based upon such personal liability if the member acted honestly and without malice.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure

All potential members are required to provide a full disclosure of any real, potential or perceived conflict of interest.Please note that not all conflicts of interest will preclude membership on this Committee. You should also know that, if appointed as a member of CERC, a summary of your conflict of interest disclosures will be posted on the CADTH website in a manner consistent with other CADTH expert advisory committees. In addition, a summary of members’ conflicts of interest will be included in any CADTH publications that are based on the CERC work, in a manner similar to that found in scientific journals and published guidelines. A copy of the Conflict of Interest Guidelines is appended to this letter; please note it containsthree disclosure forms that you must sign.

Nomination Procedure

If you are interested and available to serve on this Committee, please send the following documents to me, either by e-mail at xxxxxxx, or by postal mail by end of day,Thursday, March 26, 2009:

  • a signed copy of the attached letter confirming your acceptance of this nomination
  • a copy of your curriculum vitae (c.v.)
  • a one-page summary of your c.v.
  • the signed conflict of interest disclosure forms (3), included in the attached Conflict of Interest Guidelines, either by mail, or by fax at (613) 226-5392. If you prefer, you can fax your completed signed conflict of interest declarations directly to CADTH, to the attention of Denis Bélanger, at fax number (613) 226-5392.

Alternatively, you may send all of the documents to Denis Bélanger.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me,or Denis Bélanger at CADTH at (613) 226-2449,ext 1493. In addition, you may wish to check the CADTH website at for more information about COMPUS.

Thank you for your interest.

Sincerely,

Nominator

Attachments:

CERC Terms of Reference

Code of Conduct

Conflict of Interest Guidelines (containing disclosure forms)

Letter Confirming Acceptance of Nomination

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