Canadian Growth Hormone Advisory Committee

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The CGHAC is not a formal committee with terms of reference or accountability to a parent Society or Association. Its senior members were investigators in the MRC Therapeutic Trial of human GH 1967-1987. All members are consulting pediatric endocrinologists and full time medical faculty in Canadian universities. The committee meets twice throughout the year and holds an Annual General Meeting during the Annual Meeting of the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada. Minutes are kept and an annual report is circulated internally to the membership. Reporting to the national registry of all children who have received GH in Canada was compulsory 1967-1987 and voluntary from 1988 to the present. New! Registration form is now available on the website. Activity reports are available to any agency on request.

SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES OF THE CGHAC - 1996

  1. Clinical Research
    There are 4 active multicentre studies ongoing in Canada monitored by the national CGHAC.
    1. GH in chronic renal failure in children (spons:SERONO)
    2. GH in previously treated GH deficient adults (spons: GENENTECH/CGHAC)
    3. GH in Turner's Syndrome to final adult height (spons: LILLY/CGHAC)
    4. GHRP-2in-idiopathic GH deficiency(spon: ??)
  2. Monitoring
    Since the inception of the MRC Therapeutic Trial in 1967, a national registry has been maintained of all children receiving GH in Canada. Since the discontinuation of pituitary GH in 1985, the registry has been voluntary for the members. We estimate that over 80% of children currently receiving GH in Canada are registered annually.

    Since dissolution of the MRC Therapeutic Trial of Human GH in 1987 due to the report of Creutzfeldt-Jacob (C-J) disease in association with pituitary human GH therapy, the CGHAC has continued to monitor deaths and unusual neurologic symptoms in patients previously treated with GH in Canada. A physician reminder is published annually by the CGHAC for wide distribution in Canadian medical journals. The CGHAC is also represented on an international committee of the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society monitoring C-J disease and leukemia in this patient population. Other possible adverse effects such as pseudotumour cerebri, leukemia and slipped capital femoral epiphysis are reported annually by the committee members.
  3. Consultation
    Members of the committee provide advice as requested on matters relating to GH therapy for the following agencies:

    In 1996, the CGHAC was represented at a national consensus conference on Creutzfelt-Jakob Disease (CJD) convened by Dr. P. Gully of Health Canada, June 5-6, in Toronto. Also the Commission on CJD in France requested information regarding GH therapy in Canada.

  4. Education
    In addition to the agencies listed above for whom our members provide advice and education, local physician education and community awareness are also very important. Our members regularly are invited to make oral presentations to professional and community groups and to write review articles in Canadian and international medical journals regarding GH deficiency and treatment in children.
  5. Publications
    Taback SP, Dean HJ and members of the Canadian Growth Hormone Advisory Committee, Mortality in Canada Children with Growth Hormone (GH) Deficiency Receiving GH Therapy 1967-1992, J.Clin.Endocrinol.Metab., 1996, 81:1693-1696.
  6. Affiliation
    In 1996, an informal affiliation was established with the newly established Canadian Pediatic Endocrinology Group, a subcommittee of the Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Any concerns and/or questions regarding CGHAC should be forwarded to:

Dr. Heather J. Dean
Chairperson, CGHAC
Division of Pediatric Endocrinology
Department of Pediatrics
FE-319, 685 William Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada R3E 0Z2
Fax. (204) 787-4807

Copyright © 1997
Last Updated September 7, 1998
Visitor Number  since September 7, 1998