OTTAWA, ON / ACCESSWIRE / October 23, 2020 / Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC) issued the following statement today in response to the release of PMPRB’s final Guidelines:

“For the last five years we have raised concerns about the negative impact PMPRB’s amendments to the Patented Medicines Guidelines and Regulations will have on Canadian patients. The final Guidelines released today do nothing to relieve those concerns.

“If implemented, they will have a negative impact on Canadian patients. Specifically, innovative new medicines will not launch in Canada, depriving patients of potentially life-changing new treatments; we will see further reductions in the number of clinical trials in this country; and our life sciences sector will lose out on critical investments.

“The height of a global public health crisis is the worst possible time to implement regulatory changes that will have such a direct and negative impact on Canadian patients. This is made even worse because the Guidelines released today are the result of an inadequate consultation process that largely ignored the significant concerns raised by industry, patients, researchers and others.

“Fortunately, there is still time to find a better path. Our members remain committed to their offer to work with government on a solution that meets their important public policy objectives, without undermining Canadians’ access to new medicines, or driving away investment.

“In the meantime, we will continue to ask that Health Canada delay the January 01, 2021 implementation of the final PMPRB Guidelines until after the COVID-19 crisis is passed. At this time our collective focus should only be on the discovery, development and delivery of COVID-19 medicines to treat those infected by the virus, and vaccines to halt its spread.”

About Innovative Medicines Canada

Innovative Medicines Canada is the national voice of Canada’s innovative pharmaceutical industry. We advocate for policies that enable the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative medicines and vaccines that improve the lives of all Canadians. We support our members’ commitment to being valued partners in the Canadian healthcare system.

For further information:

Samantha Thompson
Media Relations
Telephone: 613-790-4555
E-mail: sthompson@imc-mnc.ca

SOURCE: Innovative Medicines Canada

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