Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (CTFPHC)

Who We Are

The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care was established by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to develop clinical practice guidelines that support primary care providers in delivering preventive health care.

Visit Task Force Website

The Task Force is:

a panel of experts with expertise in primary preventive health care, critical appraisal, evidence review methods and the application of evidence in clinical decision making with an international reputation for the development of independent evidence-based guidelines for primary care practitioners;
a primary source of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in the area of preventive health care in Canada;
internationally recognized as a leader in evidence-based preventive health care and for high-quality guidelines.

Since its re-establishment in 2009, the Task Force has published many clinical practice guidelines for primary care practitioners on screening for esophageal cancer, breast cancer, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cervical cancer, depression in adults, prostate cancer, prevention and management of adult and child obesity, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, tobacco and children, hepatitis C, impaired vision, asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy, thyroid dysfunction and, most recently, screening for chalmydia and gonorrhea. Published guidelines and upcoming guideline topics can be found here and on the Task Force website on the Published Guidelines page.

Download PDF

Who are the Task Force Members?

The Task Force is an independent body of 15 primary care and prevention experts from across Canada who recognize and support the need for evidence-informed preventive activities in primary care.
It consists of family physicians, mental health experts, pediatricians, other physician specialists, experts on prevention, and more. Read the member biographies.
Each member is thoroughly vetted for conflicts of interest. No current Task Force members receive funding from industry.
Task Force members volunteer their time and expertise and are not paid for their contributions.

Task Force Organization Chart

For more information on the Task Force, its guidelines development methodology as well as its partners and stakeholders, please visit the Task Force website at: www.canadiantaskforce.ca or click here.