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. Gomes, T, Kolla, G, Young, S, Bayoumi, A, Antoniou, T. Safer opioid supply and health outcomes - Authors' reply. Lancet Public Health. 2025;10 (6):e440. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(25)00119-7. PubMed PMID:40441811 .
  2. Ledlie, S, Holton, A, Leece, P, Hamzat, B, Yang, J, Kolla, G et al.. The changing role of substances: trends, characteristics of individuals and prior healthcare utilization among individuals with accidental substance-related toxicity deaths in Ontario Canada. PLoS One. 2025;20 (5):e0324732. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0324732. PubMed PMID:40408455 PubMed Central PMC12101627.
  3. Panagiotoglou, D, Peterson, S, Lavergne, MR, Gomes, T, Chadha, R, Hawley, P et al.. The effects of a provincial opioid prescribing standard on prescribing for pain in adults: an interrupted time-series analysis. CMAJ. 2025;197 (18):E497-E505. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.250167. PubMed PMID:40355138 PubMed Central PMC12077321.
  4. Gomes, T, McCormack, D, Kolla, G, Young, S, Bayoumi, AM, Smoke, A et al.. Comparing the effects of prescribed safer opioid supply and methadone in Ontario, Canada: a population-based matched cohort study. Lancet Public Health. 2025;10 (5):e412-e421. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(25)00070-2. PubMed PMID:40280140 .
  5. Garg, R, Dumont, T, McCormack, D, Tadrous, M, Campbell, T, Chan, K et al.. Trends in the Cost and Utilization of Publicly Reimbursed Cancer Medications Dispensed as Take-Home Treatments from 2017-2021. Curr Oncol. 2025;32 (4):. doi: 10.3390/curroncol32040237. PubMed PMID:40277793 PubMed Central PMC12025805.
  6. Urbanoski, K, Iwajomo, T, Gomes, T, de Oliveira, C, Milligan, K. Integrated treatment programs for pregnant and parenting people support longer retention compared to standard treatment programs: A population-based cohort study. J Subst Use Addict Treat. 2025;174 :209701. doi: 10.1016/j.josat.2025.209701. PubMed PMID:40274103 .
  7. Garg, R, Wang, T, Tadrous, M, Antoniou, T, Gomes, T. Trends in the Cost and Utilization of Publicly Dispensed Respiratory Inhalers in Ontario, Canada: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2025;34 (4):e70125. doi: 10.1002/pds.70125. PubMed PMID:40197837 PubMed Central PMC11977044.
  8. Schmidt, RA, Perez-Brumer, A, Kaminski, N, Smoke, A, Gyan-Mante, A, George, N et al.. Complex decision-making of people's use of opioid agonist therapy during pregnancy: Troubling the concept of 'non-compliance'. Soc Sci Med. 2025;373 :118041. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118041. PubMed PMID:40187074 .
  9. Ledlie, S, Tadrous, M, Bayoumi, AM, McCormack, D, Besharah, J, Munro, C et al.. Pathways of care following opioid overdose among people with opioid use disorder: A multilevel cohort study. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2025;271 :112643. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2025.112643. PubMed PMID:40106957 .
  10. Drucker, AM, Sutradhar, R, Ling, V, Gatley, JM, Eder, L, Fahim, C et al.. Systemic Therapies for Psoriatic Disease and Serious Infections in Older Adults. JAMA Dermatol. 2025;161 (5):490-497. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2025.0144. PubMed PMID:40105854 PubMed Central PMC11923774.
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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