Reported cases of Lyme disease in Canada have increased more than six-fold from 2009 to 2016.1 A significant portion of cases are classified as “probable” rather than “confirmed,”1 highlighting the uncertainty of standard diagnostic tools. A rapid diagnostic assay such as T2Lyme Panel has the potential to provide a confirmed, earlier diagnosis for Canadians with suspected Lyme disease.
Issue 24 — October 2019
This issue of Health Technology Update features brief summaries of information on a range of technologies that aim to support older adults and facilitate aging in place — from ingestible sensors for medication monitoring to a virtual reality-inspired exercise bike. These technologies were identified through the Canada's Drug Agency Horizon Scanning Service as topics of potential interest to health care decision-makers in Canada.
This issue of Health Technology Update features brief summaries of information on a broad range of medical technologies — from a rapid test for the diagnosis of Lyme disease to an app to support therapy for opioid use disorder. These technologies were identified through the Canada's Drug Agency Horizon Scanning Service as topics potentially of interest to health care decision-makers in Canada.
The following seven articles on emerging technologies are featured in this issue:
Radiotherapy is an important treatment tool used for two-thirds of people who receive cancer treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is being used for treatment guidance because it offers superior soft tissue contrast, which can reduce toxicity to organs at risk and to healthy tissue. Newer magnetic resonance (MR) systems — magnetic resonance simulators (MR-Sim), and magnetic resonance linear accelerators (MR-linac) — are optimizing radiation therapy treatment planning and providing real-time MR-guidance for high-precision radiotherapy.
Issue 23 — March 2019
This issue of Health Technology Update features brief summaries of information on a broad range of new and emerging medical technologies. Topics covered range from an exoskeleton for stroke rehabilitation to MR-linac — a device that combines image guidance and cancer radiotherapy. These technologies were identified through the Canada's Drug Agency Horizon Scanning Service as topics of potential interest to health care decision-makers in Canada.
As the population ages, decision-makers are faced with different choices of care models for people diagnosed with dementia. Recent media reports have focused on dementia villages, first developed at de Hogeweyk in the Netherlands. This Horizon Scanning bulletin will present a narrative review of the literature describing elements of care, as well as evidence and issues concerning dementia villages and similar models or components of care. Stakeholder perspectives and an analysis of policy issues will also be incorporated.