History

Our History

The Institute of Health Economics (IHE), formerly the Institute of Pharmaco-Economics, was founded in 1995 on the belief that the best solutions to healthcare problems are the result of a collaborative approach, with all stakeholders at the table sharing insights and information. First led by the Rt. Hon. Don Mazankowski (Board Chair) and Dr. Devidas Menon (CEO), the vision of the institute was “to become a centre of excellence in the areas of health economics, health outcomes, and health policy research.” As the organization expanded, so did its mandate, resulting in a name change in 1999 to what we now know as the Institute of Health Economics. This new moniker better reflected the organization’s broadening research focus, which touches upon many aspects of the health care system.

In 2005, the IHE marked its 10th anniversary by welcoming Board Chair, Dr. Lorne Tyrrell, and appointing Executive Director and CEO, Prof. Egon Jonsson. The organization continued to grow and flourish, becoming the secretariat for Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi), the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA), and the Network of Alberta Health Economists (NOAHE), as well as the provincial program for health technology assessment in Alberta. The IHE is also a technical member of the World Health Organization's Health Evidence Network (WHO HEN), and a member of the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) Technology Exchange and the Pan-Canadian HTA Collaborative.

From 2017 to 2022, under the focused leadership of Executive Director and CEO, Dr. Christopher McCabe, and Board Chair Robert Seidel, the IHE became one of Canada’s leading trusted, independent, not-for-profit research organizations, with a mission to  consistently provide relevant, timely and impactful evidence that supports informed health system policy and investment decisions. With the addition of the Health Technology Innovation Platform (services to inform industry priorities and objectives), and the increasing work in supporting pan-Canadian agencies and initiatives, the IHE continues to deliver value to the health system through the power of partnership and collaboration. The IHE continues to implement its 2021-24 Strategic Plan under the leadership of Interim CEO, Dr. Kate Harback.   

To learn more about the IHE, its mission, and vision, please see About IHE.