Note from the Commissioner

It has been a bustling first quarter this year with a lot happening for the PAAB at the board and Operations levels.

We received a final report from our strategic plan session facilitators and, after review and comment from the directors, we are looking to ratify it at the AGM on April 21, 2017. The commissioner has developed an Operational plan, that looks into the future, based on that report.

We have had a busy first quarter on the review side and March saw a record review volume. We thank our clients for their continued support. On the complaints side, we have had two stage two decisions on items that were not approved by the PAAB (one carried over from last year). Both involve the same company and both have been appealed. There has been only one complaint received this year.

Internally we have revamped our financial accounting software to a new system to be able to integrate it into our customized E-file system. We have also made a major change in our personnel evaluation system as well as a review of our internal knowledge sharing system. As part of the new plan to improve communications we have finalized a new digital, interactive format for the code and that will be voted on April 21, 2017, at the AGM. A staff committee has been working with Innovasium to create and develop a new web-site that we continue to work on. One of our staff members has come up with a creative ide of using an adaptation of CME to help healthcare professionals learn more about, and understand what the PAAB does for them regarding the review of drug advertising.

We have started preparing for the October training workshops to be held in Montreal and Toronto.

We have been preparing for the bilateral meeting with Health Canada on April 18, 2017, during which we exchange information and discuss issues of mutual concern. The PAAB staff has held up well through all this change and creativity. They are to be commended

Sincerely,

Ray Chepesiuk

PAAB Commissioner