From (")Burden of disease" research to the conception of an integrated supply system for abuse of substances in Ontario

The paradigm of evidence-based medicine has become one of the building bloc ks of modern health policy in established market economies. Based on this p aradigm, a monitoring system for treatment of substance abuse has been deve loped in the Canadian province of Ontario. This monitoring system comprises four main elements: availability of treatment places, utilization of speci alized health services, costs of treatment and outcome indicators. The pape r discusses difficulties in implementing the system and gives some indicati ons on future developments.