Health Canada has proposed a framework under which manufacturers can ask it to rely on foreign regulatory decisions to speed up the review of new drug submissions. The framework, which would apply to new drugs in certain classes, is intended
Health Canada Announces Long-Awaited Clinical Trial Regulations
On December 20, 2025, Health Canada announced draft Clinical Trial Regulations (CT Regulations) and related guidance that would revamp how clinical trials are regulated in Canada. The draft regulations are intended to clarify and simplify existing rules and…
Pharma in Brief’s 2025 Year in Review and What to Watch for in 2026
The Pharma in Brief team is looking back at 2025’s most notable legal and regulatory developments in the Canadian pharmaceutical space and highlighting hot topics for 2026. To those who don’t make it to the end of the article, we’ll…
Agile drug licensing: Health Canada consulting on new “terms and conditions” guidance to replace its Notice of Compliance with Conditions policy
In December 2025, Health Canada published new draft guidance documents detailing when and how terms and conditions (T&Cs) may be imposed on drugs pursuant to amendments to the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR). The related FDR…
Federal Court of Appeal affirms trademark confusion between names of eye medicines
The Federal Court of Appeal (FCA) has affirmed a Federal Court (FC) decision finding that the brand name of a biosimilar drug (BYOOVIZ) was confusingly similar with the brand name of a biologic drug (BEOVU), even…
Accelerating drug access in Canada: New pathways from the pCPA and Province of Ontario
In October 2025, the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) and the Government of Ontario announced new pathways to accelerate the funding of new drugs for Canadians. Canada currently ranks last among G7 countries in providing patients with timely access…
Pharmacare update: Canada’s Drug Agency launches Appropriate Use Strategy
Canada’s Drug Agency/L’Agence des médicaments du Canada (CDA-AMC) recently launched a strategy to advance the appropriate use of prescription drugs and related products in Canada. According to the CDA-AMC, 1.9 million Canadian seniors regularly use at least 1…
National Pharmacare: Canada’s Drug Agency Consulting on National Bulk Purchasing Strategy
Canada’s Drug Agency/L’Agence des médicaments du Canada (CDA-AMC) has launched a consultation on advice for a national bulk purchasing strategy for prescription drugs and related products. Notably, the advice proposes making the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA)…
Drug Pricing Update: PMPRB releases final price-review Guidelines
On June 30, 2025, the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB or Board) released the final version of its new guidelines (the Guidelines).
The Guidelines outline a new process for Board Staff to evaluate and make hearing…
National Pharmacare: Canada’s Drug Agency Consulting on List of Essential Prescription Drugs
On June 19, 2025, Canada’s Drug Agency/L’Agence des médicaments du Canada (CDA-AMC) announced a consultation on a proposed list of essential prescription drugs and related products intended to inform the development of a national formulary. The consultation is…