COVID-19 Update
Conclusion of the COVID-19
digital health task force
In the Spring of 2020, at the height of the pandemic, BML Health launched the COVID-19 Emergency Digital Health Task Force encompassing professionals from within the Montreal digital health ecosystem. At the time we did not have a clear mission, but we understood that at this moment of crisis we could help our healthcare systems, communities and organizations in need.
We mobilized and collaborated to help improve things, all of us motivated to impact the field in a positive way. The experience illustrated that our community is strong, dedicated, and ready to collaborate to improve health technology development and healthcare delivery in Canada.
Until now there has been significant progress. The ongoing Canadian vaccination campaign is bringing the gradual reopening of society and return to normal life, and the greatly needed stabilization of the healthcare system.
We have concluded the activities of the Task Force as of July 23rd 2021, but there is still work to be done. We applaud and encourage those who remain on the front lines as they continue to help Canadians in need.
Last Updated: Jul 25, 2021
Learn more
The COVID-19 Emergency Digital Health Task Force has concluded its activities
If you have any questions please contact us.
There is work to be done beyond the current crisis
COVID-19 emergency digital health task force
BML Health has assembled a task force of professionals from within the digital health ecosystem, relying on the dedication of our staff and partners to collaborate and solve problems using a common approach. We are offering Q&A, advice and short reviews at no charge, on the following topics:
- PPE and medical ventilators
- Wearable physiological monitoring
- Symptom detection and tracking
- AI in healthcare
- Telemedicine
- COVID-19 research proposals
- Health Canada programs (MDEL, Interim Order)
- FDA programs (Emergency Use Authorization – EUA)
- Advice and mentoring for tech competitions
- Call for project applications
In collaboration with:
COVID-19 resource center
We have compiled a list of news, articles and useful resources and we are adding to it daily.
Health Canada programs
Drug and vaccine supply:: Interim order on preventing and alleviating drug shortages in relation to COVID-19
Changes to clinical trials: Health Canada announces another step to accelerate access to health products for COVID-19
Information for industry: COVID-19 health product industry
PPE: Information on personal protective equipment in relation to COVID-19
Authorized COVID-19 medical devices: Lists of medical devices for use in COVID-19 pandemic
Interim order for medical device: Interim order for medical devices in relation to COVID-19
Interim Order Guidance: Medical device Interim Order for COVID-19: Guidance document
FDA programs
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA): FDA EUA information
List of Issued EUAs: Emergency Use Authorizations
US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS): Ventilator letter
COVID-19 news and information
Great advice from the MUHC's Dr Don Sheppard, Director of MI4: Coexisting with COVID-19 in the absence of a vaccine
PM Justin Trudeau: Daily Updates
Health Canada: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Outbreak update
World Health Organization (WHO): Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020
John Hopkins: COVID-19 Dashboard
Government of Quebec: Resources and Information
McGill MI4: News and updates
MUHC's Dr Don Sheppard, Director of MI4: Q&A on CBC Radio live
Programs and resources
Montreal Neurological Institute: The Neuro Open Science Pledge
Digital Health Institute for Transformation (DHIT): Webinar series
Canadian National Research Council (CNRC): The Pandemic Response Challenge program
Canadian National Research Council (CNRC): COVID-19 Challenge: An intelligent digital clearing house
Canadian National Research Council (CNRC): COVID-19 response: Vaccines and therapeutics
Canadian National Research Council (CNRC): COVID-19 response: Connecting with the community
International Standards Organisation (ISO): Full medical ventilator standards available online
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC): Full critical care ventilator standards available on request
Medtronic Ventilator specifications: Register to download ventilator files
PHAC ventilator specs, HC scaled down specs: Specifications for COVID-19 products
Santé Libre: Open, collaborative platform for COVID-19 Solutions
HealthXL – COVID-19 Digital Solutions: Map of digital health companies with COVID-19 solutions
Tech contests and accelerator programs
Digital Health Institute for Transformation: Virtual Incubator - Call for projects
Makers Challenge: Video
NGEN Next Generation Manufacturing Canada: Help Canadian manufacturers meet critical shortages in the fight against COVID-19
MGH Foundation: CODE LIFE Ventilator Challenge
MGH Foundation CODE LIFE Ventilator Challenge: Contest site
CODE LIFE challenge: Finalists' video
Bonjour Startup Montreal: Le défi COVID
Scale AI: Call for projects
Makers Challenge: COVID19 competition
AGE WELL Canada: The AGE-WELL National Impact Challenge
MedTech Innovator: Strategic road tour
MedTech Innovator: Live
TransMedTech Institute: COVID-19 challenges
CDL/Tech crunch: COVID-19 startup program
TechStars: COVID 19 Startup weekend
Articles
Globe and Mail: We can avoid a lockdown by creating a national mass testing program
National Post - Opinion: We are infectious disease experts. It’s time to lift the COVID-19 lockdowns by Neil Rau, Susan Richardson, Martha Fulford and Dominik Mertz.
New York Times: Lockdown Can’t Last Forever. Here’s How to Lift It by Gabriel Leung.
On Sweden 1 - National Review: The upside of Sweden’s strategy
On Sweden 2 - The Guardian:: The downside of Sweden’s strategy
On Sweden 3 - France 24: Sweden’s Covid-19 strategy has caused an ‘amplification of the epidemic’
On Sweden 4 - New York Times: Sweden Has Become the World’s Cautionary Tale
On Sweden 5 - Fortune: ‘We see no point in wearing a face mask,’ Sweden’s top virus expert says as he touts the country’s improving COVID numbers
On Sweden 6 - McGill University: Which Sweden Do You Want to Believe In?
On Sweden 7 - Newsweek: Sweden, Which Refused Lockdown During COVID First Wave, Imposes Restrictions as Cases Soar
On Sweden 8 - Bloomberg: Sweden Sees No Signs So Far Herd Immunity Is Stopping Virus
Michael Green, Canada Health Infoway: Digital Health and COVID-19
Harvard Business Review: Why Companies Do “Innovation Theater” Instead of Actual Innovation by Steve Blank
The Toronto Star: Canada orders 30,000 ventilators