Montréal, April 26, 2007 – Dr. Juan Roberto Iglesias, President of the Agence d’évaluation des technologies et des modes d’intervention en santé (AETMIS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Alicia Framarin as the Agency’ Scientific Director.

Report prepared for AETMIS by Gilles Pineau and Khalil Moqadem.

According to AETMIS, it is necessary to dispel the scientific uncertainty surrounding the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the management of cerebral palsy.

Report prepared for AETMIS by Imen Khelia, Myrlande Martin and Stéphanie Adam, with the collaboration of François Pierre Dussault.

Information brief prepared by Jean-Marie R. Lance, Raouf Hassen-Kodja and Alicia Framarin.

This briefing note begins by examining the nature of autologous blood donation (ABD) programs and the risks associated with allogeneic transfusions, which this specific blood-transfusion method is designed to reduce. Then, based on the state of current scientific evidence, the study describes the clinical value of ABD programs by identifying their advantages and drawbacks. Examination of different clinical guidelines developed in various countries provides specific details regarding the main surgical indications for autologous blood donation. This briefing note also summarizes the different studies that have addressed the cost issue and, more rarely, the cost-effectiveness of this transfusion method.

Report prepared for AETMIS by Héla Makni, Carole St-Hilaire, Laura Robb, Kathy Larouche and Ingeborg Blancquaert.

This report was prepared at the request of the Ministry of Health, in the context of scientific debates and pressure in favour of adopting tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for neonatal blood screening of inborn errors of metabolism.