Formulary Management Expert Committee Members | Canada’s Drug and Health Technology Agency

The Role of Formulary Management Expert Committee Members (Interim) 1.0 About the Formulary Management Expert Committee The Formulary Management Expert Committee (FMEC) is a n interim committee introduced as a pilot in FY 2023-2024.

A pilot format provides the agility needed to test and learn from innovative approaches to reviews, methods, deliberative processes, stakeholder inputs, and the communication of outputs.

FMEC is an appointed, pan-Canadian interim advisory body comprising individuals with expertise in drug therapy, drug evaluation, drug utilization , and economics.

FMEC provides recommendations for the organization’s non-sponsored single drug reviews , streamlined drug class reviews , andt herapeutic reviews as requested by federal, provincial, and territorial governments, drug plans, and cancer agencies.

2.0 Member Roles and Responsibilities The role of an FMEC member is to :

• establish, maintain, and apply standards and methodologies to evaluate the therapeutic value and cost-effectiveness of drugs (both single drugs and entire classes of drugs) for the management of various diseases as applicable with the organization’s procedures
• act as a lead discussant during deliberations as assigned by the Chair
• consider reimbursement questions made by payers, and all related clinical reviews and economic reviews prepared and submitted in accordance with the organization’s standards
• provide reasons for every recommendation made to the provincial and territorial ministries of health for public dissemination; and,
• provide advice and, if appropriate, a change to a previously issued recommendation in response to requests by the Pharmaceutical Advisory Committee (PAC) and its subsidiary committees.

Eligibility To be eligible for consideration, candidates for core member roles on FMEC must :

• reside in Canada
• not be currently employed by, or engaged as an advisor or consultant with, any pharmaceutical or related companies
• have knowledge of, experience with, and understanding of issues related to drugs and their management (diagnosis, treatment, and care)
• not have any unmanageable conflicts of interest.

2.2 Selection Criteria The following criteria are applied when selecting FMEC core members :

• availability and commitment of time to prepare for meetings and participate fully in the committee
• knowledge of health technology assessment (HTA), clinical trial design and HTA methodology, and reimbursement policy
• knowledge and understanding of the mandate of the organization and that of its Reimbursement Review program, including their roles in the broader health care systems
• experience in expert committee work
• acquiring the information and adopting the skills needed to successfully negotiate important issues
• relating to and respecting a diverse range of values and perspectives; diverse lived experience is an asset.

Successful candidates will also demonstrate :

• effective communication skills
• strong principles and ethical standards in both personal and professional behaviour
• commitment to working constructively as a member of a team, respecting the diverse viewpoints and opinions of FMEC members, partners and collaborators, and outside experts
• willingness to work within the defined processes and parameters for reviewing drugs, using a multicriteria approach that considers evidence-based medicine, cost-effectiveness, and societal and patient values.

Expert Member Qualifications

Expert members of FMEC shall demonstrate the following qualifications :

• a professional degree from a recognized institution in at least one of the following disciplines : medicine, pharmacy, pharmacology, ethics, or health economics
• in active practice and / or research in a community, hospital, and / or academic setting
• an understanding of the use and delivery of drugs within the Canadian context.

Health Economist Member Qualifications

• a professional degree from a recognized institution with demonstrated experience in health economics
• experience in research in the community, hospital, and / or academic setting
• an understanding of the use and delivery of drugs within the Canadian context.

Patient Member Qualifications

The FMEC patient member represents the patient interest and has experience as a patient or caregiver, and a demonstrated interest in issues related to health care at the community, regional, or national level.

Experience with the Canadian Drug Expert Committee (CDEC) or pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review Expert Review Committee (pERC) is an asset.

The patient member is a full member of FMEC with the same responsibilities and expectations, and subject to the same terms and conditions, as all other members.

Specialist Member Qualifications

Specialist experts will be invited to attend FMEC meetings to provide their expertise with respect to the specific project and therapeutic area under deliberation, as required.

Specialist experts are thought leaders and may be drawn from a variety of fields, such as clinical settings, methodology, or health economics.

These specialist members will have experience relevant to the use of the particular pharmaceutical products or therapeutic areas through their clinical activities, academic or commercial research, and / or experience in health policy, health care administration, or other health-related work.

Time Commitment

The anticipated time commitment for FMEC members is approximately 4 days every other month (excluding travel time). It is anticipated that FMEC members may be asked to travel for at least 2 in-person meetings annually.

Term of Appointment

All members of the committee are required to adhere to the organization’s code of conduct and declare any conflict of interest, or potential conflict of interest, that might arise in the course of FMEC business.

Core Members

The appointment of core members will be for a term that coincides with the anticipated duration of the pilot process, but the term may be extended at the discretion of the President and CEO to support continuity.

Specialist Members

Specialist members will be appointed for the duration of a specific project under deliberation.

Remuneration

Remuneration will be paid to the individual and is subject to deductions for Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and income taxes.

Core Members

On appointment, FMEC core members are eligible to receive the following :

• $140 per hour for committee-related work, meetings, and preparation for meetings with a set number of hours allocated for each meeting, as follows :
• 25 hours for expert, patient, and economist members per meeting
• 4 hours for all core members for the orientation meeting
• 3 hours for all core members to prepare for the first FMEC meeting
• any reasonable travel costs for FMEC meetings, in accordance with the organization’s Travel Policy.

Specialist Members

On appointment, FMEC specialist members are eligible to receive the following :

• $140 per hour for committee-related work, meetings, and preparation for meetings with a set number of hours allocated for each deliberation, as follows :
• 11.5 hours for specialist members per deliberation.
• any reasonable travel costs for FMEC meetings, in accordance with the organization’s Travel Policy.

The nomination process is open until April 2, 2024 .Online nomination form for all the committees Nomination 2024 CADTH .

For more information, 2024 Call for Nominations : Canadian Drug Expert Committee CADTH .

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