TI Blog Update: Seasons greetings and Acknowledgment of contributions

23 Dec 2024 TI Blog Update: Seasons greetings and Acknowledgment of contributions

As 2024 is drawing to an end, we want to wish our readers, supporters and collaborators best wishes for the seasonal holidays and a happy new year! We use this opportunity to take stock of what we’ve accomplished and to acknowledge the intellectual contributors to our work, which includes the Therapeutics Letter, Portrait, Events and Webinars, Drug Assessments and Pharmacoepidemiology Studies.

When our founding Scientific Director Dr. Jim Wright started the Therapeutics Letter in the fall of 1994, our goals included relevance to practicing clinicians, accuracy, brevity, and critical analysis of “evidence” about new drugs – something not readily available elsewhere. Over the last 30 years we may at times not have appreciated where evidence was heading, but we believe that we’ve mostly avoided significant errors when analysing available facts. Periodically, new evidence  emerges that makes us more enthusiastic, or more sceptical, about new and old drugs. When we are informed of errors, we try to correct them as soon as practical.

During the 5 years since I replaced Dr. Wright as Editor after his retirement in late 2019, we have published 30 Therapeutics Letters. Previously distributed by postal mail and kept to only 2 pages in print or PDF, our Letters may not look like much work. Yet they typically reflect months of work by many people, sometimes years or even decades of scholarship and medical experience. They require careful attention to critical appraisal of randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and pharmacoepidemiologic studies. Sometimes we make challenging searches for unpublished research from databases like Drugs@FDA.

Since our establishment in 1994, all Therapeutics Letters have been the product of collaborative work by our Drug Assessment, Education, Pharmacoepidemiology and Cochrane Working Groups. Because the entire Therapeutics Initiative stands behind them, we do not list the individual authors of original drafts. Nonetheless, every Letter represents the hard work of many, including local and international experts in clinical medicine, pharmacy, and critical appraisal of evidence whom we ask to review our working drafts.

Below, we acknowledge the people who helped make this happen over the last 5 years. If we accidentally left you out, please let us know, so we can correct the posting. Some reviewers preferred not to be named, but we appreciated equally their intellectual contributions. We include our main contributors in alphabetical order, along with people who graciously reviewed draft Therapeutics Letters or who have taught in our Best Evidence courses since the beginning of 2020.

Seasons greetings and happy new year!

Thomas L. Perry MD, FRCPC
Editor, Therapeutics Letter
Therapeutics Initiative
University of British Columbia, Vancouver

Contributors to authorship of Therapeutics Letters and Portraits published 2000-2024:

• Stephen Adams BSc, Vancouver BC
• Anshula Ambasta MD, FRCPC, Vancouver BC
• Ken Bassett MD, PhD, Vancouver BC
• Mohamed Ben-Eltriki RPh, PhD, Vancouver BC
• Gregory Carney PhD, Christina Lake BC
• Alan Cassels, Victoria BC
• Gloria Chu PharmD
• Colin Dormuth ScD, Victoria BC
• Sharzad Elmi MD, North Vancouver BC
• Juan Erviti PharmD, PhD, Pamplona Spain (special thanks for translation of TLs to Spanish)
• Anat Fisher MD, PhD, Vancouver BC
• Carolyn Green PhD, Duncan BC
• Ilona Hale MD, CCFP, Kimberley BC
• Benji Heran PhD, Vancouver BC
• Ciprian Jauca BA, DBM, Vancouver BC
• Josh Levin MD, CCFP Victoria BC
• Rita McCracken MD, PhD, FCFP
• Barbara Mintzes PhD, Sidney Australia
• Cait O’Sullivan PharmD
• Jessica Otte MD, CCFP, Nanaimo BC
• David Patrick MD, PhD, FRCPC, Vancouver BC
• Thomas L. Perry MD, FRCPC Vancouver BC
• Ellen Reynolds BA, MPA
• Aaron Tejani PharmD, Vancouver BC
• Wade Thompson PharmD, PhD, Vancouver BC
• Evan Wood MD, PhD, FRCPC, Vancouver BC
• James M. Wright MD, PhD, FRCPC, Vancouver BC

Artists for Therapeutics Letters and Portraits published 2000-2024:

• Karina Kalvaitis, Victoria BC (2020-2022)
• Sandra Krahl, Germany (2022-2024)
• Shahriar Alami, Cyprus (special assistance, 2024)

Special Acknowledgements:

• Juan Erviti PharmD, PhD, of the Servicio Navarro de Salud, Pamplona, Spain translated all issues of Therapeutics Letters since issue 76 into Spanish, and continues to translate new issues.
• Bob Mash MD, Faculty of Medicine, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa, has begun to republish some TLs in the African Journal of Primary Health Care and Family Medicine: https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/index.
• UBC Continuing Professional Development: Lindsay Callan, Judy Chen, JoAnna Cassie, Olive Kung
  

Guest faculty, presenters of webinars, external reviewers and TI members who made particular contributions:

This list includes medical and health scholars, knowledge translation experts, and patient advocates who presented webinars in our Methods series, our BC Deprescribing series, our general TI Webinar series or in our Best Evidence and special Continuing Professional Development courses, or who contributed reviews of Therapeutics Letters or TI presentations. Reviewers are volunteers who assist us by clarifying important issues, suggesting additional studies or references, and often by challenging our understanding of issues and our conclusions.  They do not necessarily agree with or endorse our conclusions. A number of additional reviewers preferred not to be named, but we appreciate equally their contributions.

• Elia Abi-Jaoude MD, PhD, FRCPC, University of Toronto ON
• Anne Abbott MD, PhD, Monash University, Melbourne AU
• Eitan Agai, St. Petersburg FL
• Mohsen Alayche MD, McMaster University, Hamilton ON
• Anshula Ambasta MD, MPH, FRCPC, University of BC, Vancouver BC
• Krystle Amog MSc (PhD student), Toronto ON
• Shauna Archer MN-NP, NP(F), Victoria BC
• Michele Avissar-Whiting, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Durham NC
• Alisdair Barr PhD, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Julia Belluz MSc, Paris, France
• Edith Blondel-Hill MD, FRCPC, University of BC, Kelowna BC
• Cameron Bonnell PharmD, Kelowna BC
• Michael Borenstein PhD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City
• Javier Bracchiglione MD, MSc, Barcelona, Spain
• Rupi Brar MD, CCFP, Vancouver BC
• Till Bruckner PhD, University of Bristol, UK
• Carolyn Bubbar PharmD, White Rock BC
• Jungwon Byun BA, San Francisco CA
• Eric Cadesky MD, CCFP, Vancouver BC
• Harlan Campbell PhD, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Gregory Carney PhD, Christina Lake BC
• Alan Cassels, Victoria BC
• Samantha Cheng PhD, Portland OR
• Mark Clark MD, FCFP, Edmonton AB
• Kristi Coldwell, Transplant Research Foundation of BC, Vancouver BC
• Joyce Cote BScPharm, White Rock BC
• Mitchell Creinin MD, University of California Davis, Davis CA
• Anamaria Crisan PhD, Tableau Research, Seattle WA
• Ed Croc PhD, University of BC (Vancouver)
• David Crockford MD, FRCPC, University of Calgary, Calgary AB
• Celia Culley PharmD, Victoria BC
• Marshall Dahl MD, PhD, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Christy Demeter MN-NP, NP(F), Dawson Creek BC
• Brittany Dennis MBBS, PhD, Universioty of BC (Vancouver)
• Nikki Domanski PharmD, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Colin Dormuth ScD, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Hafeez Dossa, BScPharm, Nanaimo BC
• Janice Duivestein OT/PT, MRS, Saltspring Island, BC
• Alison Edelman MD, MPH, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland OR
• Kim Encel PhD, Melbourne, Australia
• Juan Erviti Lopez PharmD, PhD, Pamplona, Spain
• Shayan Fahimi PhD, Vancouver BC
• Jamison Falk PharmD, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB
• Lunne Feehan PhD, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Tom Finucane MD, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore USA
• Blair Fulton MD, FRCPC, Nanaimo BC
• Camille Gagnon PharmD, MSc., Canadian Medication Appropriateness and Deprescribing Network, Montreal QC
• Scott Garrison MD, PhD, CCFP, University of Alberta, Edmonton AL
• Odie Geiger PhD, Vancouver BC
• Jeannette Goguen MD, FRCPC, University of Toronto ON
• Daniel Gorman MD, FRCPC, University of Toronto ON
• Alison Gregson MD, FRCPC, University of BC (Victoria)
• Guillaume Grenet MD, PhD, Vancouver BC and Lyon, France
• Ilona Hale MD, CCFP, Kimberley BC
• Candyce Hamel PhD, University of Ottawa, ON
• Judith Hammond MD, CCFP, Vancouver BC
• Tom Hardwicke PhD, Melbourne, Australia
• David Healy MD, MRCP, Bangor University, UK
• Charles Helm MD, CCFP, (PhD cand), Tumbler Ridge BC
• Corinne Hohl MD, MHSc, FRCPC, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Mark Horowitz MD, PhD, London UK
• Fiona Hutchison BSN, MSN, NP(F), Victoria BC
• Trudy Huyghebaert PharmD, BScPharm, Calgary AB
• Matthew B. Jané (PhD student), University of Connecticut
• Teppo Järvinen MD, University of Helsinki, Finland
• Krista Jensen, York University, Toronto ON
• Michael Johnny MA, York University, Toronto ON
• David Juurlink MD, PhD, University of Toronto ON
• Daniel Kadlec PhD, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
• Ehsan Karim, PhD, University of BC,(Vancouver)
• Nadia Khan MD, MSc., FRCPC, Vancouver BC
• Kathryn King MD, CCFP, Nanaimo BC
• Siyana Kurteva PhD, University of BC (Vancouver)
• I Fan Kuo PharmD, PhD, Victoria BC
• Simroop Ladhar RPh, Vancouver BC
• Steve Larigakis MD, CCFP, Vancouver BC
• Ola Lemanowicz MD, Vancouver BC
• Brooke Levis PhD, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal QC
• Joel Lexchin MD, FRCPC, University Health Network, Toronto ON
• Stephen Lippman MD, PhD, Smithsburg MD
• Juan Maria Rubio Lopez MD, MSc, (PhD student), Jaen, Spain
• Carole Lunny MPH, PhD, Squamish BC
• Mario Malički MD, PhD, Stanford University, Palo Alto CA
• John Mandrola MD, FACC, Louisville KY
• Derelie (Dee) Mangin, MD, CCFP, Hamilton ON
• David Marceniuk BSN, MD, University of Calgary (resident physician)
• Christine Martin, North Vancouver BC (patient advocate)
• Lisa McCarthy PharmD, MSc, University of Toronto ON
• Mark McConnell MD, ABIM, LaCrosse WI, USA
• James McCormack PharmD, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Rita McCracken MD, PhD, Vancouver BC
• Emily G. McDonald MD, MPH, FRCPC, McGill University, Montreal QC
• Dee Mangin MD, DPH, McMaster University, Hamilton ON
• Iain Marshall MD, PhD, FRCGP, Kings College London, UK
• Evan Mayo-Wilson PhD, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill NC
• David Menkes MD, PhD, University of Auckland, NZ
• Richard Menzies MD, FRCPC, McGill University, Montreal QC
• Barbara Mintzes PhD, University of Sydney, Australia
• Goldis Mitra MD, CCFP, Surrey BC
• Victor Montori MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
• Steve Morgan PhD, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Larry Mróz PhD, BC Academic Health Sciences Network, Vancouver BC
• Srinivas Murthy MD, FRCPC, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Terryn Naumann PharmD, New Westminster, BC
• Jill Norris MD, CCFP, Victoria BC
• Dionzie Ong RPh, Vancouver BC
• George Osol PhD, University of Vermont, Burlington VT
• Cait O’Sullivan PharmD, Courtenay BC
• Jessica Otte MD, CCFP, Nanaimo BC
• David Owens MD, FRCP, FRCPsych, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
• Matthew Page PhD, Monash University, Melbourne AU
• Robert Pammett PharmD, University of BC (Prince George)
• Jordi Pardo Pardo, Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa ON
• David Patrick MD, FRCPC, Universith of BC, Vancouver BC
• Tila Pelletier PharmD, Vancouver BC
• Nav Persaud MD, PhD, CCFP, University of Toronto ON
• Jennifer Petkovic, Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa ON
• Jolanta Piszcek PharmD, University of BC, Vancouver BC
• Kathleen Potter MD, PhD, Hokitika NZ
• Sadie Quintal BScPharm, RPh, Comox BC
• Daniel Rainkie, PharmD, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Chris Rauscher MD, FRCPC, Vancouver BC
• Tyler Raycraft MD, FRCPC, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Emily Reeve PhD, Monash University, Melbourne AU
• Iain Reid MD, University of Auckland, NZ
• Regina Renner MD, FRCPC, Nanaimo BC
• Ellen Reynolds, Victoria BC
• Rebecca Rishar MSLS, ECRI Institute, Plymouth Meeting PA
• Dany Ros, senior clinical pharmacist, Torbay, England
• Charleigh Rudy RN, Dawson Creek BC
• Doug Salzwedel BAA, MLIS, University of BC, Vancouver
• Shirley Samuel-Haynes MD, CCFP, Edmonton AB
• Zainab Samaan MBChB, PhD, FRCPsych, Queens University, Kingston ON
• Nancy Santesso RD, PhD, McMaster University, Hamilton ON
• Sydney Saunders, BScPharm, Dawson Creek BC
• Brenda Schuster PharmD, RxFiles, Regina SK
• Stephen Senn, PhD, FRSE, Edinburth UK
• Larissa Shamseer, PhD, Unity Health, Toronto ON
• Allen Shaughnessy PharmD, Med, Tufts University, Boston MA
• Kelly Soros RN, MD, MHSc, Vancouver BC
• Ross Soros (patient), Maple Ridge BC
• Davin Shikaze PharmD, Victoria BC
• Tom D. Stanley PhD, Deakin University, Melbourne AU
• Adrienne Stevens PhD, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa ON
• Val Stoynova MD, FRCPC, Victoria BC
• Mina Tadrous PharmD, PhD, University of Toronto, ON
• Guylène Thériault MD, CCFP, McGill University, Gatineau QC
• Wade Thompson PharmD, PhD, Vancouver BC
• Angela Tong BscPharm, Surrey BC
• Charissa Tonnesen BScPharm, PharmD, Tumbler Ridge BC
• Shanna Trenaman BScPharm, MAHSR, PhD, Dalhousie University, Halifax NS
• Johanna Trimble, Sechelt BC (patient advocate)
• Sofia Tsokani, MSc (PhD student), University of Ioannina, Greece
• Erick Turner MD, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland OR
• David Unger MD, CCFP, Vancouver BC
• David Urquhart MD, CCFP, Inuvik NWT
• Caspar J. Van Lissa PhD, Tilburg University, Netherlands
• Areti-Angeliki Veroniki PhD, Toronto ON
• Matthew Vic-Dunbar MLIS, MAS, University of BC (Kelowna)
• Beverley Wasmund MSc, OT, Vancouver BC
• Wojtek Wiercioch PhD, McMaster University, Hamilton ON
• Marnie Wilson MD, MPH, FRCPC, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Evan Wood MD, PhD, FRCPC, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Davie Wong MD, FRCPC, Burnaby BC
• Vincent Wong MD, Vancouver BC
• Jim Wright MD, PhD, FRCPC, University of BC (Vancouver)
• Bada Yang MD, PhD, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

If you would like to be invited to review confidential drafts of Therapeutics Letters, please let us know. We require disclosure of conflicts of interest and prefer reviewers who are not conflicted.