Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Special Information Section for Health-Care Providers 
Canadian Adverse Drug Reaction Information
Health Canada's reports of suspected adverse reactions to health products from consumers, health-care professionals and product manufacturers.
IMPORTANT HEALTH NOTICES
December 21, 2007
Recall of NULTIVA® (remifentanil hydrochloride) 1 mg vials due to potential for overdose
November 2007
NACI Statement on Influenza Vaccination for the 2007–2008 Season
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends that health-care providers potentially capable of transmitting influenza to those at high risk of influenza complications receive influenza vaccine. NACI also issued an addendum. Click here for the addendum.
In health-care settings, hand hygiene is the single most important way to prevent infections and can help to prevent the spread of influenza. Click here for the Hand Hygiene Fact Sheet from the Provincial Infections Diseases Advisory Committee.
April 2007
Dental Management of Patients Receiving Oral Bisphosphonate Therapy An expert panel selected by the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs has released recommendations on managing the care of patients receiving oral bisphosphonate therapy, after an extensive literature review. These recommendations can be found on the ADA website at www.ada.org under A-Z Professional Topics for Dental Professionals by clicking on Osteonecrosis of the Jaw.
November 24, 2006
Health Canada Issues Advisory on Benzocaine
On Friday, November 24, Health Canada released an advisory on the use of topical anaesthetic benzocaine. Due to the widespread use of benzocaine in topical anaesthetics in dental practices, the College recommends members review and consider this advisory when making decisions about topical anaesthetics in their practice.
March 2006
Best Practices for Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization In All Health Care Settings
Released in March 2006, this document contains advice from the Ministry of Health’s Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee about the safe handling, transportation and biological decontamination of contaminated medical equipment/devices. Providing the members with information to assist them in decision-making is part of our mandate. Members are urged to consult with and follow the College’s Guidelines on infection control in the dental office.
December 7, 2005
The Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC) has recently reviewed the Infection Control and Surveillance Standards for Febrile Respiratory Illness (FRI) in Non-Outbreak Conditions, as well as the Standards for High-Risk Respiratory Procedures under Non-Outbreak Conditions, and developed a revised and consolidated Febrile Respiratory Illness Best Practices document. This document REPLACES THE THREE PREVIOUS NON-OUTBREAK FEBRILE RESPIRATORY ILLNESS STANDARDS (applicable to acute care hospital, non-acute care institutional and community settings) AS WELL AS THE NON-OUTBREAK HIGH-RISK RESPIRATORY PROCEDURES STANDARD.
The key changes in the revised document are as follows:
- Clarification is provided with respect to the mask use for FRI.
- Provision is made for both active and passive surveillance for FRI, and although it is still expected that this surveillance will be done, there is no longer an absolute requirement for accompanying documentation to be completed/retained.
- The document is easier to read and provides a simpler surveillance protocol.
- Basic assumptions for infection prevention and control, to be in place in all health-care settings for the proper implementation of FRI surveillance/infection prevention and control best practices, are provided.
For your convenience, the direct link to the revised document is as follows: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/infectious
/diseases/ic_fri.html
Should you have any questions, please send to PIDAC@moh.gov.on.ca.
November 1, 2005
Recall of Human Tissue Used For Transplantation
April 12, 2005
Marburg Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Outbreak in Northern Angola
January 6, 2005
Travelling in Tsunami-Affected Areas
December 19, 2003
Infection Control Guidelines for dentists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention