HTA Details
Left Ventricular Assist Devices for Destination Therapy
- Publication date
-
2016-February-08
- Status
- Final
- Topic Area
- Cardiac Cardiovascular
- Recommendation
-
Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee Recommendations:
- Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee recommends that continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) be publicly funded as permanent therapy (also known as destination therapy) in patients with end-stage heart failure who are ineligible for heart transplantation
- OHTAC recommends that the Cardiac Care Network and Trillium Gift of Life Network provide guidance regarding which hospitals should offer this procedure and which patients should be eligible
- OHTAC further recommends that the Cardiac Care Network and/or Trillium Gift of Life Network ensures data is collected on survival and quality of life for individuals receiving continuous flow LVAD as permanent therapy, and that this data be reviewed by Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee in two years
- Ministry Response
-
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has accepted this recommendation.
-
To read the full OHTAC Recommendation Report for this topic, contact our Health Innovation team using the contact form to request a digital copy.
A left ventricular assist device (LVAD), is a medical device that can be used to replace the function of a failing heart. It provides support to the damaged left ventricle (one of the four chambers of the heart) and helps pump blood to the rest of the body.
An LVAD is implanted under a patient’s skin. A control unit and battery pack are worn outside the body and connect to the LVAD through a hole in the skin. In Ontario, LVADs are publicly funded for patients who are waiting to have a heart transplant, and are currently not publicly funded for patients who are ineligible for a heart transplant.
Ontario Health analyzed the effectiveness of LVADs as a destination therapy (long-term, permanent therapy) for patients with end-stage heart failure who are ineligible for heart transplantation.
Last Updated: February 24, 2026
