Daily News

Posted on Sept. 8: Funding helps researcher assess new technologies in health

A lack of evidence on the value of new health technologies has the Province of Ontario in a little bit of a conundrum. Without systematic comparative evidence on the effectiveness and efficiency of new medical technologies, how do they decide what should and should not be reimbursed? With a $3-million grant over three years from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, McMaster's Bernie O'Brien is hoping to provide some guidance. Through a series of research studies, the co-director of the Centre for Evaluation of Medicines and director of the Program for Assessment of Technology in Health (PATH) will assess the economic benefit of new medical technologies, providing evidence to support government reimbursement decisions. "Evaluation research is about trying to gather the evidence so the decision makers can make sensible decisions," says the professor in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McMaster. "They're tough choices because they involve trade-offs between different disease areas."

Posted on Sept. 5: Shiny happy people

On Saturday, Sept. 6, McMaster students will be wrapping up their Welcome Week activities by giving the residents of Hamilton a reason to shine. They'll be at street corners and shopping malls armed with polish, cloths, and donation boxes to make everyday articles shimmer and raise money for a good cause. Third-year biochemistry student and fundraising initiative team (FIT) co-ordinator Binny Jandu, says McMaster has a long, proud tradition in Shinerama, the largest post-secondary fundraising event that has raised more than $14 million for Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a fatal genetic disorder that leaves its sufferers highly susceptible to lung and digestive tract problems. "This is a great opportunity for university students because it is one of the only Welcome Week events that is directed specifically at the community," says Jandu. "They still get to make new friends and have a lot of fun, but they're helping a really good cause too."

Posted on Sept. 5: Engineers present distinctive clock ring

A double ring shape encircles a shield emblazoned with the McMaster coat of arms. Within it, two massive rings indicate the time. This is the brainchild of mechanical engineering graduates Patrick Burton, Braden Kurczak, Michael Paddags and Peter Whitred, who today presented a "clock ring" perched atop the doorframe at the north entrance to the McMaster University Student Centre. But even more than that, they presented their legacy. "We wanted to give something back to the University," said Whitred to the Daily News. "We all had such a great experience over our five-year degree and we love McMaster and engineering that we wanted to give something back. It's also a little immortality for us," he said, adding whenever they come back to campus to see the clock it will remind them of their student years.