BUILDING CLINICAL CAPACITY FOR FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER DIAGNOSES IN WESTERN AND NORTHERN CANADA

A symposium at the fourth annual Canadian Therapeutics Congress in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on May 27, 2007, discussed the ability of multi-stakeholder partnerships to create new and better ways to manage chronic disease; particularly, to achieve cost efficiency and better health outcomes for the ever-increasing number of patients dealing with chronic disease. The presentations included the experiences of three innovative programs under way in Nova Scotia, Alberta and Ontario, as well as the viewpoints of representatives from both the pharmaceutical industry and government. The symposium revealed that innovative partnerships are providing some encouraging signs of progress in this vital area.