Government policies make Canada’s pharmaceutical environment less attractive to drug companies.
access to new drugs
Drug developers are more likely to invest in research and development if prices for their medicines are high.
New drugs are approved later in Canada than in the United States and European Union.
Drugs were approved in the U.S. 469 days earlier (on average) than in Canada.
Last year, British Columbia became the first province to introduce a mandatory biosimilar switching program for non-medical reasons.
New clinical trials registered with Health Canada fell by more than 52 per cent.
More regulation will likely lead to slower and more limited access to drugs.
Unfortunately, the federal government’s track record of creating reliable and accurate data systems is not good.
A national formulary—essentially a list of drugs—is unlikely to match the comprehensive lists covered by private insurance plans.