Ontario’s Scientific Advisory Panel on COVID-19, a key group of independent experts in the province’s response to the ongoing pandemic, confirmed Friday that it will be disbanded early next month after more than two years.
In a statement posted on its website, the board said it was informed by Public Health Ontario (PHO) at a meeting on Aug. 18 that it and all of its task forces would be disbanded effective Sept. 6.
“We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve Ontario beginning in July 2020,” the statement said. “Many of us will remember our work for Science Table as one of the most important jobs we’ve ever had the chance to do.”
The group said its work reflects the dedication of hundreds of volunteer scientists, doctors and administrators. It adds that the key principles that will help Ontario deal with the ongoing dangers of COVID-19 are that science matters, capital matters, transparency is critical, independence must be both embraced and delivered, and timeliness and relevance are essential.
“The COVID-19 pandemic continues and contributes to the growing number of crises in Ontario’s health care system,” the statement continued.
The Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto led the panel of independent scientists until April 4, when the PHO announced it would host the panel on a permanent basis.
At the time, the PHO said this group would develop new conditions to make it “time-sustainable” and able to expand if necessary in the event of future public health emergencies.
PHO explores new advisory group
A statement from the PHO on Friday suggested it was considering forming a new panel, saying it had been involved in discussions with representatives of the science board over the past few weeks about the new terms.
“The new mandate establishes a mandate that reflects a long-term, sustainable approach and ensures the continued provision of reliable and independent scientific and technical public health advice to the province on COVID-19 and future public health emergencies,” it said.
“The membership will continue to consist of independent experts.”
The scientific board’s advice and guidance sometimes conflicted with government action during the pandemic.
One particularly poignant moment came in February 2021, when the government prepared to ease public health restrictions during a temporary lull in new cases, just as alarming variants began to emerge in the province.
During a press conference to present its latest modeling, the panel’s co-chair, Adalstein Brown, was asked by a reporter if the panel was essentially “predicting disaster.” Brown answered in the affirmative.
You can watch the full exchange here:
Variants of concern likely to lead to increased cases of COVID-19, says Dr. Brown
Dr. Adalstein Brown, co-chair of the province’s science advisory panel, says cases of COVID-19 are likely to increase with emerging variants of concern, in response to a question from TVO reporter John Michael McGrath whether lifting restrictions in the province will prove to be a “disaster”.
Brown is the dean of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and was a constant presence at presentations during some of the worst months of the pandemic. In August, Brown left the band to focus on his role at the University of Toronto.
The government pushed ahead with its plan and what followed was the third wave, which at its peak saw around 900 people with COVID-19 admitted to intensive care units and led to the reimposition of public health orders a few weeks later.
Hopes for new group led by ‘genuine scientific independence’
At its peak, the panel’s core members included more than 40 health professionals and scientists with a wide range of expertise.
Dr Peter Juni, the table’s outspoken former scientific director and its most public spokesman during the pandemic, stepped down from his role in April to take a job at the University of Oxford in the UK.
He was replaced by Dr. Fahad Razak, an internist at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and an assistant professor at the University of Toronto.
In his own statement on Friday, Razak said he was “eternally grateful” to those who volunteered their time for the mission at the table, “often working late into the night and under severe time pressure.”
“I hope that the scientific advice we have provided to the public and decision-makers has helped to reduce suffering,” he said.
Razak added that he hoped any future advisory group would be guided by the principles of “true scientific independence” and transparency, a focus on equity and a commitment to advocating for individuals and communities who have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
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