Dr. Avram Denburg

Member — Academic

Dr. Avram Denburg is a staff oncologist and clinician-scientist in the Division of Haematology/Oncology at the SickKids, the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. He has a Master of Science in Health Policy, Planning and Financing from the London School of Economics and a PhD in Health Policy from McMaster University. Avram’s research centres on the analysis and strengthening of childhood cancer care systems, with specific focus on issues related to pharmaceutical policy and drug access for children in Canada and internationally. His lab at SickKids Research Institute is engaged in projects on health technology assessment (HTA) and cancer drug access in various health system contexts globally. Current priority areas of research include the development of novel approaches for the value-based assessment of pediatric health technologies, including precision cancer therapies; the incorporation of societal values and public preferences into HTA and pharmaceutical policy; comparative analysis of policy approaches to precision cancer therapy regulation and reimbursement; and the analysis of cancer drug availability, cost, and access dynamics in a range of low- and middle-income countries.

These research endeavours are supported by ongoing collaborations with a range of national and international partners, including WHO, PAHO‒Pan-American Health Organization, Health Canada, and with us. Avram is past chair of the Essential Medicines Committee for the International Society of Pediatric Oncology and co-founder of Access to Childhood Cancer Essentials — a global initiative to improve access to essential medicines and therapeutics for children with cancer. He has served as an expert member of pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review and the Ontario Steering Committee for Cancer Drugs, and chairs the Drugs & Therapeutics Committee at SickKids.