Ontario’s scientific COVID-19 advisory panel, a key group of independent experts in the province’s response to the ongoing pandemic, confirmed Friday that it would disband early next month after more than two years.
In a statement posted on its website, the board says it was informed by Public Health Ontario (PHO) at an Aug. 18 meeting that it and all of its task forces would be disbanded effective Sept. 6.
“We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served Ontario since July 2020,” the statement said. “Many of us will remember our work for the Science Board as some of the most important work we’ve ever had the opportunity to do.”
The group said its work reflected the dedication of hundreds of volunteer scientists, doctors and administrators. He added that the key principles that will help Ontario manage the continued dangers of COVID-19 are that science matters, fairness matters, transparency is critical, independence must be perceived and delivered, and opportunity and relevance are essential.
“The COVID-19 pandemic continues and contributes to the growing number of crises in Ontario’s health care system,” the statement continued.
The Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto oversaw the panel of independent scientists until April 4, when PHO announced it would host the panel on a permanent basis.
At the time, PHO said that this group would develop new terms of reference to become “sustainable over time” and could be expanded if necessary in the event of future public health emergencies.
PHO explores new advisory group
A statement Friday from PHO suggested it is looking to form a new group, saying it has been involved in discussions with representatives of the scientific panel in recent weeks about new terms of reference.
“The new terms of reference establish a mandate that reflects a long-term sustainable approach and ensures the continued provision of credible and independent scientific and technical public health advice to the province on COVID-19 and future public health emergencies,” he said. write.
“Members will continue to be trained by independent experts.”
The advice and guidance of the scientific board at times during the pandemic has been contrary to government actions.
A particularly poignant moment came in February 2021, when the government was preparing to ease public health restrictions during a temporary lull in new cases, just as variants of concern were beginning to take hold in the province.
During a press conference to present their latest model, a reporter asked the panel’s co-chair, Adalsteinn Brown, whether the panel was essentially “predicting disaster.” Brown answered in the affirmative.
You can watch the full exchange here:
The variants of concern will likely lead to an increase in cases of COVID-19, Dr. Brown says
Dr. Adalsteinn Brown, co-chair of the province’s scientific advisory panel, says cases of COVID-19 will likely increase with emerging variants of concern, in response to a question from TVO reporter John Michael McGrath about whether the lifting of the restrictions in the province will prove to be a “disaster”.
Brown is the dean of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and was present at the presentations during some of the most severe months of the pandemic. In August, Brown left the group to focus on his role at the University of Toronto.
The government went ahead with its plan, and what followed was the third wave, which at its peak admitted around 900 people with COVID-19 to ICUs and led to the reimposition of health orders published several weeks later.
Hopes for new group guided by ‘true scientific independence’
At its peak, the panel’s core members included more than 40 health professionals and scientists with a wide range of expertise.
Dr Peter Jüni, the board’s former scientific director and its most public representative during the pandemic, left the post in April to take a job at the University of Oxford in the UK.
He was replaced by Dr. Fahad Razak, internist at St. Michael from Toronto and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto.
In his own statement on Friday, Razak said he is “forever grateful” to those who volunteered their time to the table’s mission, “often working late into the night and under severe time pressures.”
“I hope the scientific advice we provided to the public and decision-makers will help reduce suffering,” he said.
Razak added that he hopes any future advisory group will be guided by the principles of “true scientific independence” and transparency, a focus on fairness and a dedication to advocating for people and communities who have been disproportionately affected for COVID-19.