Program in Evidence-Based Care

Formally established in 1997, the Program in Evidence-Based Care (PEBC) is an internationally recognized guideline program funded by Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario).

Our role is to improve the quality of cancer care in Ontario through the application of the best available scientific evidence to practice and decision-making. The PEBC does this by leading the development of evidence-based guidance documents in all major cancer disease areas and across all clinical programs. Guidelines span the areas of screening, diagnostic assessment, treatment, and supportive care. Over 200 clinicians and other experts are involved in multidisciplinary panels who develop and assess these guidelines, and over 1,000 additional reviewers participate in the process through external review.

The PEBC’s evidence-based guidelines and systematic reviews are published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and on the Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) website. OH (CCO) built on the PEBC’s well-established expertise in producing clinical guidelines for the care of individual patients to include the development of organizational and system standards that set expectations for organizations delivering cancer services in terms of personnel, expertise, facilities and services.

The PEBC is linked academically to the Department of Oncology at McMaster University, an internationally recognized leader in evidence-based medicine and health care.