Tara Gomes

PhD, MHSc

Scientist

Biography

Tara Gomes is an epidemiologist and Principal Investigator of the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network (ODPRN), a provincial network of researchers with expertise in pharmaceutical utilization, outcomes and policy who rapidly conduct research for drug decision-makers in Ontario and across Canada.  She holds a Canada Research Chair in Drug Policy Research and Evaluation, is a Scientist in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital and ICES, and is an assistant professor at the University of Toronto.  Her research is focused on pharmacoepidemiology, drug safety and drug policy research leveraging large, administrative databases, and she has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and over 100 policy reports in this area.  Dr. Gomes also works closely with government regulators at the provincial and national level to develop evidence to inform policies related to opioid use disorder and opioid-related harm through the Ontario Opioid Drug Observatory.  In 2014, she was awarded the Institute for Public Administration of Canada’s Bronze Public Sector Leadership Award in Health and Education to recognize the impact of the ODPRN’s work.

Recent Publications

  1. Iacono, A, Wang, T, Tadrous, M, Campbell, T, Kolla, G, Leece, P et al.. Characteristics, treatment patterns and retention with extended-release subcutaneous buprenorphine for opioid use disorder: A population-based cohort study in Ontario, Canada. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2023;254 :111032. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.111032. PubMed PMID:38043224 .
  2. Milligan, K, Tarasoff, LA, Rodrigues, ER, Iwajomo, T, Gomes, T, de Oliveira, C et al.. Neonatal outcomes of pregnant women attending integrated and standard substance use treatment programs in Ontario, Canada. Birth. 2023; :. doi: 10.1111/birt.12784. PubMed PMID:37983747 .
  3. Clarke, H, Miles, S, Ladha, KS, Kitchen, SA, Gomes, T. Interventional pain blocks in Ontario: a population-based cross-sectional study on 2019 procedural volumes, clustering, and physician billings. Can J Anaesth. 2023;70 (11):1765-1775. doi: 10.1007/s12630-023-02596-y. PubMed PMID:37919632 .
  4. Zipursky, JS, Everett, K, Calzavara, A, Gomes, T, Juurlink, DN. New Persistent Opioid Use After Childbirth. Obstet Gynecol. 2023;142 (6):1440-1449. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005432. PubMed PMID:37917933 .
  5. Butler, A, Croxford, R, McLeod, KE, Gomes, T, Orkin, AM, Bondy, SJ et al.. The impact of COVID-19 on opioid toxicity deaths for people who experience incarceration compared to the general population in Ontario: A whole population data linkage study. PLoS One. 2023;18 (10):e0293251. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293251. PubMed PMID:37874825 PubMed Central PMC10597506.
  6. Antoniou, T, McCormack, D, Kitchen, S, Pajer, K, Gardner, W, Lunsky, Y et al.. Impact of a publicly-funded pharmacare program policy on benzodiazepine dispensing among children and youth: a population-based natural experiment. BMC Pediatr. 2023;23 (1):519. doi: 10.1186/s12887-023-04331-4. PubMed PMID:37858122 PubMed Central PMC10585894.
  7. Booth, RG, Shariff, SZ, Carter, B, Hwang, SW, Orkin, AM, Forchuk, C et al.. Opioid-related overdose deaths among people experiencing homelessness, 2017 to 2021: A population-based analysis using coroner and health administrative data from Ontario, Canada. Addiction. 2023; :. doi: 10.1111/add.16357. PubMed PMID:37845790 .
  8. Antoniou, T, Pritlove, C, Shearer, D, Tadrous, M, Shah, H, Gomes, T et al.. Correction: Accessing hepatitis C direct acting antivirals among people living with hepatitis C: a qualitative study. Int J Equity Health. 2023;22 (1):214. doi: 10.1186/s12939-023-02003-4. PubMed PMID:37821986 PubMed Central PMC10568866.
  9. MacDonald, M, Cheng, C, Wang, T, McCormack, D, Kolla, G, Cahill, TM et al.. Trends in varying modes of drug use in opioid toxicity deaths in Ontario from 2017 to 2021. Int J Drug Policy. 2023; :104197. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104197. PubMed PMID:37741701 .
  10. Antoniou, T, McCormack, D, Fell, DB, Kwong, JC, Gomes, T. Impact of national recommendations for routine pertussis vaccination during pregnancy on infant pertussis in Ontario, Canada: a population-based time-series study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2023;23 (1):627. doi: 10.1186/s12884-023-05938-2. PubMed PMID:37653488 PubMed Central PMC10469528.
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Affiliations & Other Activities

  • Assistant Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto
  • Assistant Professor, Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto
  • Scientist, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences
  • Principal Investigator, Ontario Drug Policy Research Network