Health Technology Assessment Committee

The Health Technology Assessment Committee (HTAC) makes evidence-informed recommendations to a committee of senior ministry and health authority executives about whether a technology should be publicly provided.

The committee is comprised of a member from the ministry and each of the province’s six health authorities, as well as a scientific advisor, health economist, ethicist and a member of the public.

HTAC was formed with support of the Ministry of Health and BC’s health authorities as outlined in a memorandum of understanding (PDF, 226KB) which was signed November 2011. Shortly after the HTAC Terms of Reference (PDF, 51KB) was created, which details the goals and scope and working structure of HTAC.

Below the members as well as the secretariat for HTAC are listed (last updated Sept. 21, 2018).

Health Authority Representatives

Dr. Elizabeth Brodkin
Executive Medical Director, Infection Prevention & Control, Fraser Health

James Coyle
Director, Health Systems Evaluations, Interior Health

Angela De Smit
Chief Operating Officer, Northern Interior, Northern Health

Reka Gustafson
Medical Health Officer and Medical Director of Communicable Disease, Vancouver Coastal

Sean Hardiman
Provincial Clinical Director, Provincial Health Services Authority

Dr. Jim Hutchinson, Co-Chair
Medical Director, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Island Health

Berna Marcelino
Provincial Director, Supply Chain, Provincial Health Services Authority 

Ministry Representative

Heather Davidson, Co-chair
Assistant Deputy Minister, Partnerships and Innovation Division, Ministry of Health

Professional Members

Mark Harrison
Health Economist

Duncan Steele
Ethicist

Arminée Kazanjian
Scientific Advisor

Public Members

Sek Cheung

Barbara McGuffey

Secretariat

Robert Bacigalupo
Policy Analyst, Research and Innovation Branch, Ministry of Health

Sandie Du
Policy Analyst, Research and Innovation Branch, Ministry of Health

Jemal Mohamed
Senior Health Economist, Research and Innovation Branch, Ministry of Health

Manik Saini
Director, Research and Innovation Branch, Ministry of Health