Avram Denburg

Scientist, Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute

Chair Positions

Co-Founder and Co-Chair
Unit for Policy and Economics Research in Childhood Cancer, SickKids 

Chair 
SickKids Drugs & Therapeutics Committee 

Co-Founder
Access to Childhood Cancer Essentials (ACCESS)

Dr. Avram Denburg received his medical degree from McMaster University in 2006. He completed both a residency in paediatrics and a fellowship in Haematology/Oncology at SickKids. Dr. Denburg has a Master of Science in Health Policy, Planning and Financing from the London School of Economics and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and a PhD in Health Policy from McMaster University. He trained at Harvard University as a Pediatric Scientist Development Program Fellow.  

Dr. Denburg’s research focuses on the political, ethical and economic dimensions of child health policy, in both local and global contexts, with specific focus on pharmaceutical policy and drug coverage decisions for children

Research

Dr. Avram Denburg’s research centres on the analysis and strengthening of paediatric health systems and policies, in both local and international contexts. Specific areas of focus include childhood cancer and non-communicable diseases, pharmaceutical policy and drug access, and the ethics of resource allocation in health systems. He currently leads collaborative, multi-institutional research projects on:

1. value assessment and health system implementation of precision cancer therapeutics for children;
2. essential medicine availability, price, and access for children with cancer in LMICs; and
3. forecasting of essential cancer medicine demand and cost for health system planning.

Education and experience

Degrees

• 1999–2003: Bachelor of Arts (Honours), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2003–2006: Doctor of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
• 2007–2008: M.Sc., Health Policy, Planning and Financing (Distinction), London School of Economics/London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, England
• 2012–2013: Pediatric Scientist Development Program, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
• 2013–2018: PhD, Health Policy, Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Postgraduate, Research and Specialty Training

• 2006–2010: Pediatric Resident, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2010–2013: Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Subspecialty Resident, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2011–2012: Chief Fellow, Division of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Qualifications, Certifications and Licenses

• 2013: FRCPC, Specialty, Paediatric Haematology/Oncology, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Canada
• 2010: FRCPC, Paediatrics, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Canada
• 2010: FAAP, Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics

Previous appointments

• 2010–2013: Part-time Staff Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2013–2015: Locum Staff Paediatrician, Division of Paediatrics, Toronto East General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2014–2017: Staff Paediatrician, Department of Paediatrics, North York General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2016–2018: Staff Physician, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children
• 2016–2018: Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Achievements

• 2007–2008: Commonwealth Scholarship, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, UK.
• 2015–2019: Trudeau Foundation Scholarship, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.
• 2012–2013: Chair, Childhood Cancer Committee, Global Task Force for Expanded Access to Cancer Care and Control in Developing Countries
• 2013–2018: Chair, Essential Medicines Working Group, Pediatric Oncology in Developing Countries (PODC), International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP)
• 2016–Present: Commissioner, Lancet Oncology Commission on Childhood Cancer
• 2016–2018: Member, WHO Essential Medicines List Update Steering Committee, World Health Organization and Union for International Cancer Control
• 2017–Present: Expert Member (Oncology and Ethics), pCODR Expert Review Committee and Priority Review Committee, Pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review, Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health
• 2018: Expert Member, Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, World Health Organization
• 2018: Faculty of Health Sciences Outstanding Thesis Award, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University
• 2018: Faculty of Health Sciences Outstanding Achievement Award, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University
• 2018: Expert Member, WHO Advisory Panel on Cancer Drug Availability and Affordability, World Health Organization
• 2019: Leadership Development Program Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology
• 2020–Present: Member, Program Executive Committee, Precision Oncology for Young People Initiative
• 2020–2023: Terry Fox New Investigator Award, Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Terry Fox Research Institute

1. Boateng R, Petricca K, Tang B, Sin Quee-Brown C, Alexis C, Browne-Farmer C, Reece-Mills M, McLean Salmon S, Bodkyn C, Gupta S, Denburg AE. Determinants of childhood cancer drug access in health system context: A comparative mixed-methods study of four English-speaking Caribbean countries. Lancet Global Health. 2021 Sep;9(9):e1314-e1324. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(21)00287-4. Senior Author.
2. Hughes TM, Empringham B, Wagner AK, Ward ZJ, Yeh J, Gupta S, Frazier AL, Denburg AE. Forecasting essential childhood cancer drug need: An innovative model-based approach. Cancer. 2021 Apr 12. doi: 10.1002/cncr.33568. Epub ahead of print. Senior Author.
3. Denburg AE, Ungar WJ, Chen S, Hurley J, Abelson J. Does moral reasoning influence public values for health care priority setting?: A population-based randomized stated preference survey. Health Policy 2020; 124(6): 647-658. Principal Author.
4. Atun R, Bhakta N, Denburg A, Frazier L, Friedrich P, et al. Sustainable care for children with cancer: a Lancet Oncology Commission. The Lancet Oncology. April, 2020; 21:e185-224. Co-Author.
5. Denburg AE, Laher N, Mutyaba I, McGoldrick S, Sessle E, Kambugu J, Orem J, Casper C. The cost effectiveness of treating Burkitt lymphoma in Uganda. Cancer 2019; 125(11): 1918-1928. DOI: 10.1002/cncr.32006. Principal Author.

See a full list of Avram Denburg's publications