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SYNERGY ONLINE:  Bulletins and News Briefs from
The Canadian Society for International Health:
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WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Technology
Assessment Hosts Expert Consultation on Health
Technology Assessment in Latin America
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On October 2-3, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Health
Technology Assessment, based out of the Department of
Medicine at the University of Ottawa and the Pan-
American Health Organization (PAHO), co-hosted an Expert
Consultation on Health Technology Assessment in Latin
America.

The thirty-five participants included Dr, Fernando
Munoz,  vice-minister of health for Chile, Dr. Jorges
Lemus, vice-minister of health for Argentina, Dr. Daniel
Lopez-Acuna, Director of the Health Systems and Services
Development Division, PAHO, Edward Aiston, Director
General of the International Affairs Directorate, Health
Canada, senior officials from the Ministries of Health
from Columbia, Spain and Canada, representatives from
PAHO, the Canadian International Development Agency, the
Canadian Society for International Health,  and Industry
Canada, and members of the International Society for
Technology Assessment in Health Care (ISHTAC).

The two-day meeting focused on discussions about a
concept paper about health technology assessment (HTA)
in Latin America. The concept paper emphasized four
basic issues: HTA methodology; evidence-based medicine;
evidence-based clinical practice; HTA and policy-making.

The key objectives of the concept paper were identified
as the following: to develop a pedagogical instrument;
to provide a means for disseminating information; to
provide a context for the issue, demonstrating how this
issue has evolved institutionally.

The primary target audience for this document is policy
makers, administrative planners and managers in health
systems.

The paper is expected to be published in the new year,
in English and Spanish. CSIH interim Executive Director
Janet Hatcher Roberts, who co-directs the Collaborating
Centre with Dr. Peter Tugwell, Chair of the Department
of Medicine at the University of Ottawa, is assisting in
the final version of the paper. The Collaborating Centre
was pleased to act as a co-host for the meeting and
plans to continue its work in this area in the coming
year.  For more information, contact Janet Hatcher
Roberts by email at [log in to unmask] or by telephone at
(613) 737-8755 or by fax at (613) 737-8155.

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The Canadian Network for International Surgery (CNIS)
Announces Injury Control Award
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The award will be given annually to a Canadian medical
student who is a member of the CNIS and who wishes to
undertake research at the Injury Control Centre Uganda
(ICC-U).  The newly-established Centre is based at
Makerere University's New Mulago Hospital in Kampala,
Uganda, and is funded by the Canadian Network for
International Surgery, a non-governmental organization
which provides essential surgical skills education for
medical practitioners in the developing world.

Research aims of the Centre span clinical,
epidemiological, and public health-related areas,
including measurement of trauma incidence and severity
in the local population, establishment and assessment of
preventative measures, and safety education among
others.  Research projects will be developed jointly by
the student and Centre investigators, and it is expected
that they will be sufficiently focused to allow
completion by the end of the student's elective.
Applicants should be in their final year of medical
school and a minimum of 8 weeks elective time is
preferred.   The amount of the award is $500 and
selection will be based on a brief (one page) letter of
intent and interests.  The application deadline is March
1, 1998. For further information about this award or
CNIS membership, please contact:  Christopher Andrews,
Student Representative, CNIS MD Programme Class of 1999,
McMaster University [log in to unmask] (until
Jan. 28, 1998) [log in to unmask]    (after Jan.28,
1998) or landmail: 470 Alexmuir Place, Waterloo ON N2T
1S5 fax (519) 888-7742.

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Look for the next issue of Synergy Online on January 8,
1998!

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This document is available, with full formatting and
accents, at:
Ce document est disponible, avec les accents et la mise
en page a:
http://www.csih.org/syn_indx.html
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