Evidence-based decision making is a key cornerstone of Health Canada's approach in developing food safety and nutrition policies and regulations in Canada. The effective use of sound scientific advice is a key principle of the Department's Decision Making Framework (DMF). Post-market and Pre-market risk management decisions are guided by various types of evidence derived from multiple sources. The complexity of current nutrition-related issues, data gaps, shortage of research funding and consumers' views being influenced by non-evidence based information are significant obstacles faced by policy makers. Examples of some of the challenges and opportunities associated with evidence-based policy decision making will be highlighted in this presentation to help generate discussion in the satellite session.
Dr. William Yan obtained his Bachelor and Master degrees in Microbiology and Ph.D. degree in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases from the University of Alberta. He completed his post-doctoral training at Tufts University Medical School in Boston, MA before beginning his career in Health Canada as Research Scientist in 1995. Between 1999 and 2009, he was Head of the Office of Biotechnology, Chief of the Evaluation Division in the Bureau of Microbial Hazards, and Director of the Health Effects Division at the Pest Management Regulatory Agency. In 2010, Dr. Yan was appointed Director of the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences in the Food Directorate. Over a 10 year tenure, he led several high profile ministerial priorities under the Healthy Eating Strategy: the amendment of the nutrition labelling regulations; the prohibition of partially hydrogenated oils; sodium reduction, and the development of the front-of-package nutrition labelling regulations. He also led the work in developing the new Supplemented Foods Regulation in July 2022. In addition to his achievements in Health Canada, Dr. Yan has also helped shape the minds of students and young professionals as adjunct and part-time professor at the University of Ottawa for over 25 years and has continued to teach and lead undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs since his retirement from Health Canada in 2022. In 2024, Dr. Yan was awarded the CNS-SCN Fellow Distinction Award for his contribution to the work of the Canadian Nutrition Society.